never clothe mine eye-balls, never taught This toung, inurde to broyles and stratagems, The passionate language of a troubled heart:  I am too blunt and rude for such nice service.  Yet since my friend injoynes me to this taske, Take courage, Ile both speake, plead, woo for thee, And when I want fit words to move her mind, Ile draw my sword and sweare she must be kind.

One may smile at the notion of holloaing “to the beast,” but the whole passage is vigorous, and some single lines (e.g.  “The passionate language of a troubled heart”) are excellent.

THE HISTORY of the tryall of CHEUALRY,

With the life and death of Caualiero Dicke Bowyer.

As it hath bin lately acted by the right Honourable the Earle of Darby his servants.

LONDON Printed by Simon Stafford for Nathaniel Butter, and are to be sold at his shop in Paules Church-Yard, neere S. Austens Gate. 1605.

The Historie of the triall of Chevalry.

Actus Primus.

[SCENE 1.]

Enter Lewes, King of France, Philip his sonne, Katharina his daughter, Roderick and Flaunders, with drum and colours, and soldiers at one dore:  at the other enter Navar, Ferdinand, Bellamira, and, the Earle of Pembroke, and Burbon.

[Lew.] Duke Roderick and my noble cozen Flaunders, Are your Battalions ready for the charge?

Rod.  Ten thousand men of Orleance I commaund And those are bravely marshald on the playn, Ready to be commaunded by your Highnesse.

Flaund.  As many of the warlike brood of Mars
Doe call me Generall:  those, my gracious Lord,
Together with my selfe I recommend
To be commaunded by your Majesty.

Lew.  Thanks, Earle of Flaunders, Duke of Orleance, thanks.  What lets us that we charge not on the foe?

Nav.  My Lord of Pembrooke, are your Englishmen Squadron’d with ours and ready for the charge?

Pem.  The French and English make one warlike body Whereof your Highnesse is the moving head:  Or peace or warre, as pleaseth you, direct.

Nav.  Then war and give the signal through the host.

Lew.  Navar, Navar, submission were more meete Then to adde bloud to wrong.

Nav.  What wrong, King Lewes?  The Kingdome of Navar we will acknowledge To hold of none but of the King of Kings.

Lew.  Three hundred yeres prescriptions on our sides; So long thy Ancestors by fealty Have helde thy Kingdome of the Crowne of France.

Pem.  Talke not of yeres, yeres limit not a Crowne;
There’s no prescription to inthrall a King. 
He finds it written in the Rowles of time
Navar’s a Kingdome solely absolute,
And by collusion of the Kings of France,
The people speaking all one mother toung,
It hath bin wrested for a Royalty
Untruly due unto the Crowne of France. 
That Pembrook speaks the truth, behold my sword,
Which shall approve my words substantiall.