Death's servile emissaries are, Nor to these alone confin'd, He hath at will More quaint and subtle wayes to kill; A smile or kiss, as he will use the art, 15 XXII. The Winning of Cales. The subject of this ballad is the taking of the city of Cadiz, (called by our sailors corruptly Cales,) on June 21, 1596, in a descent made on the coast of Spain, under the command of the Lord Howard, admiral, and the Earl of Essex, general. The valour of Essex was not more distinguished on this occasion than his generosity: the town was carried sword in hand, but he stopped 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 missed of a much richer, by the resolution 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 from this enterprise, amounted to twenty millions of ducats. See Hume's History. The Earl of Essex knighted on this occasion not fewer than sixty persons, which gave rise to the following sarcasm: VOL. II. M A gentleman of Wales, a knight of Cales, But a yeoman of Kent with his yearly rent The ballad is printed, with some corrections, from the Editor's folio MS., and seems to have been composed by some person who was concerned in the expedition. Most of the circumstances related in it will be found supported by history. LONG the proud Spaniards had vaunted to conquer us, Often preparing their navy most sumptuous Dub a dub, dub a dub, thus strike their drums: 5 To the seas presentlye went our lord admiral, At Plymouth speedilye, took they ship valiantlye, 10 With their fair colours spread, and streamers ore their head, Now bragging Spaniards, take heed of your tayle, 15 Dub a dub, &c. Unto Cales cunninglye, came we most speedilye, Dub a dub, &c. 20 Great was the crying, the running and ryding, There you might see their ships, how they were fyred fast, And how their men drowned themselves in the sea; There might you hear them cry, wayle and weep piteously, When they saw no shift to scape thence away. 30 Dub a dub, &c. The great St. Phillip, the pryde of the Spaniards, But the St. Andrew, and eke the St. Matthew, The Earl of Essex most valiant and hardye, With horsemen and footmen marched up to the town; The Spanyards, which saw them, were greatly alarmed, Did fly for their savegard, and durst not come down. Dub a dub, &c. 41 Now, quoth the noble Earl, courage my soldiers all, The Spaniards at that sight, thinking it vain to fight, Hung upp flags of truce and yielded the towne ; Wee marched in presentlye, decking the walls on hye, With English colours which purchased renowne. 50 Dub a dub, &c. Entering the houses then, of the most richest men, 55 Full of rich merchandize, every shop catched our eyes, Damasks and sattens and velvets full fayre; Which soldiers measur'd out by the length of their swords; Of all commodities eche had a share. Dub a dub, &c. 60 Thus Cales was taken, and our brave general March'd to the market-place, where he did stand: There many prisoners fell to our several shares, Many crav'd mercye, and mercye they fannd. 65 Dub a dub, &c. When our brave General saw they delayed all, And when the town burned all in flame, 70 XXIII. The Spanish Lady's Lobe. This beautiful old ballad most probably took its rise from one of these descents made on the Spanish coasts in the time of Queen Elizabeth; and in all likelihood from that which is celebrated in the foregoing ballad. It was a tradition in the West of England, that the person admired by the Spanish lady was a gentleman of the Popham family, and that her picture, with the pearl necklace mentioned in the ballad, was not many years ago preserved at Littlecot, near Hungerford, Wilts, the seat of that respectable family. Another tradition hath pointed out Sir Richard Levison, of Trentham, in Staffordshire, as the subject of this ballad; who married Margaret, daughter of Charles Earl of Not |