That bay they enter, which unto them owes
The noblest wreaths which victory bestows ;
Bold Stanier leads ; this fleet's designed by fate
To give him laurel, as the last did plate.
The noblest wreaths which victory bestows ;
Bold Stanier leads ; this fleet's designed by fate
To give him laurel, as the last did plate.
Marvell - Poems
123
Forts, lines, and sconces, all the bay along,
They build, and act all that can make them
strong.
Fond men ! who knew not whilst such works
they raise,
They only labour to exalt your praise.
Yet they by restless toil became at length.
So proud and confident of their made strength,
That they with joy their boasting general heard
Wish then for that assault he lately feared.
His wish he had, for now undaunted Blake,
With winged speed, for Santa Cruz does make.
For your renown, the conquering fleet does ride,
O'er seas as vast as is the Spaniard's pride.
Whose fleet and trenches viewed, you soon did
say,
We to their strength are more obliged tlian
they;
Wer't not for that, they firom their fate would
run.
And a third world seek out, our arms to shun.
Those forts, which there so high and strong
appear,
Do not so much suppress, as show their fear.
Of speedy victory let no man doubt.
Our worst work passed, now we have found
them out.
Behold their navy does at anchor lie.
And they are ours, for now they cannot fly.
Digitized by VjOOQIC
124 THE rOEMS
This said, the whole fleet gave it their ap-
plause,
And all assume your courage, in your cause.
That bay they enter, which unto them owes
The noblest wreaths which victory bestows ;
Bold Stanier leads ; this fleet's designed by fate
To give him laurel, as the last did plate.
The thundering cannon now begins the fight,
And, though it be at noon, creates a night ;
The air was soon, after the fight begun.
Far more enfiamed by it, than by the sun.
Never so burning was that climate known ;
War turned the temperate, to the torrid zone.
Fate these two fleets, between both worlds, had
brought,
Who fight, as if for both those worlds they
sought.
Thousands of ways, thousands of men there die,
Some ships are sunk, some blown up in the sky.
Nature ne'er made cedars so high aspire
As oaks did then, urged by the active fire
Which, by quick powder's force, so high was
sent
That it returned to its own element.
Torn limbs some leagues into the island fiy,
Whilst others lower, in the sea, do lie ;
Scarce souls from bodies severed are so far
By death, as bodies there were by the war.
Digitized by VjOOQIC
OP MARVELL. 125
The all-seeing sun ne'er gazed on such a sight,
Two dreadful navies there at anchor fight,
And neither have, or power, or will, to fly ;
There one must conquer, or there both must
die.
Far different motives yet engaged them thus.
Necessity did them, but choice did us,
A choice which did the highest worth express.
And was attended by as high success ;
For your resistless genius there did reign.
By which we laurels reaped e'en on the main.
So prosperous stars, though absent to the sense,
Bless those they shine for by their influence.
Our cannon now tears every ship and sconce.
Forts, lines, and sconces, all the bay along,
They build, and act all that can make them
strong.
Fond men ! who knew not whilst such works
they raise,
They only labour to exalt your praise.
Yet they by restless toil became at length.
So proud and confident of their made strength,
That they with joy their boasting general heard
Wish then for that assault he lately feared.
His wish he had, for now undaunted Blake,
With winged speed, for Santa Cruz does make.
For your renown, the conquering fleet does ride,
O'er seas as vast as is the Spaniard's pride.
Whose fleet and trenches viewed, you soon did
say,
We to their strength are more obliged tlian
they;
Wer't not for that, they firom their fate would
run.
And a third world seek out, our arms to shun.
Those forts, which there so high and strong
appear,
Do not so much suppress, as show their fear.
Of speedy victory let no man doubt.
Our worst work passed, now we have found
them out.
Behold their navy does at anchor lie.
And they are ours, for now they cannot fly.
Digitized by VjOOQIC
124 THE rOEMS
This said, the whole fleet gave it their ap-
plause,
And all assume your courage, in your cause.
That bay they enter, which unto them owes
The noblest wreaths which victory bestows ;
Bold Stanier leads ; this fleet's designed by fate
To give him laurel, as the last did plate.
The thundering cannon now begins the fight,
And, though it be at noon, creates a night ;
The air was soon, after the fight begun.
Far more enfiamed by it, than by the sun.
Never so burning was that climate known ;
War turned the temperate, to the torrid zone.
Fate these two fleets, between both worlds, had
brought,
Who fight, as if for both those worlds they
sought.
Thousands of ways, thousands of men there die,
Some ships are sunk, some blown up in the sky.
Nature ne'er made cedars so high aspire
As oaks did then, urged by the active fire
Which, by quick powder's force, so high was
sent
That it returned to its own element.
Torn limbs some leagues into the island fiy,
Whilst others lower, in the sea, do lie ;
Scarce souls from bodies severed are so far
By death, as bodies there were by the war.
Digitized by VjOOQIC
OP MARVELL. 125
The all-seeing sun ne'er gazed on such a sight,
Two dreadful navies there at anchor fight,
And neither have, or power, or will, to fly ;
There one must conquer, or there both must
die.
Far different motives yet engaged them thus.
Necessity did them, but choice did us,
A choice which did the highest worth express.
And was attended by as high success ;
For your resistless genius there did reign.
By which we laurels reaped e'en on the main.
So prosperous stars, though absent to the sense,
Bless those they shine for by their influence.
Our cannon now tears every ship and sconce.
