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The birds resounding heavenly melody,

Are equal to the groves of Thessaly,

Where Phoebus with the learned Ladies nine,

Delight themselves with music harmony,

And from the moisture of the mountain tops,

The silent springs dance down with murmuring streams,

And water all the ground with crystal waves.

The gentle blasts of Eurus, modest wind,

Moving the pittering leaves of Silvan's woods,

Do equal it with Temp's paradise;

And thus consorted all to one effect,

Do make me think these are the happy Isles,

Most fortunate, if Humber may them win.

HUBBA.

Madam, where resolution leads the way,

And courage follows with imboldened pace,

Fortune can never use her tyranny;

For valiantness is like unto a rock

That standeth in the waves of Ocean,

Which though the billows beat on ever side,

And Boreas fell with his tempestuous storms

Bloweth upon it with a hideous clamour,

Yet it remaineth still unmoveable.

HUMBER.

Kingly resolved, thou glory of thy sire.

But, worthy Segar, what uncouth novelties

Bringst thou unto our royal majesty?

SEGAR.

My Lord, the youngest of all Brutus' sons,

Stout Albanact, with millions of men,

Approacheth nigh, and meaneth, ere the morn,

To try your force by dint of fatal sword.

HUMBER.

Tut, let him come with millions of hosts;

He shall find entertainment good enough.

Yea, fit for those that are our enemies:

For we'll receive them at the lance's points,

And massacre their bodies with our blades:

Yea, though they were in number infinite,

More than the mighty Babylonian queen,

Semiramis the ruler of the West,

Brought gainst the Emperour of the Scithians;

Yet would we not start back one foot from them:

That they might know we are invincible.

HUBBA.

Now, by great Jove, the supreme king of heaven,

And the immortal gods that live therein,

When as the morning shows his cheerful face,

And Lucifer, mounted upon his steed,

Brings in the chariot of the golden sun,

I'll meet young Albanact in the open field,

And crack my lance upon his burganet,

To try the valour of his boyish strength.

There will I show such ruthful spectacles

And cause so great effusion of blood,

That all his boys shall wonder at my strength:

As when the warlike queen of Amazon,

Penthisilea, armed with her lance,

Girt with a corslet of bright shining steel,

Couped up the faintheart Graecians in the camp.

HUMBER.

Spoke like a warlike knight, my noble son;

Nay, like a prince that seeks his father's joy.

Therefore, tomorrow, ere fair Titan shine,

And bashful Eos, messenger of light,

Expels the liquid sleep from out men's eyes,

Thou shalt conduct the right wing of the host;

The left wing shall be under Segar's charge,

The rearward shall be under me my self.

And lovely Estrild, fair and gracious,

If fortune favour me in mine attempts,

And make the Queen of lovely Albion,

Come, let us in and muster up our train,

And furnish up our lusty soldiers,

That they may be a bulwark to our state,

And bring our wished joys to perfect end.

ACT II. SCENE II.

[Enter Strumbo, Dorothy, Trompart, cobbling shoes and singing. To them enter Captain.]

TROMPART.

We Cobblers lead a merry life:

ALL.

Dan, dan, dan, dan:

STRUMBO.

Void of all ennui and strife:

ALL.

Dan diddle dan.

DOROTHY.

Our ease is great, our labour small:

ALL.

Dan, dan, dan, dan.

STRUMBO.

And yet our gains be much withall:

ALL.

Dan diddle dan.

DOROTHY.

With this art so fine and fair:

ALL.

Dan, dan, dan, dan.

TROMPART.

No occupation may compare:

ALL.

Dan diddle dan.

DOROTHY.

For merry pastime and joyful glee:

ALL.

Dan, dan, dan, dan.

STRUMBO.

Most happy men we Cobblers be:

ALL.

Dan diddle dan.

TROMPART.

The can stands full of nappy ale:

ALL.

Dan, dan, dan, dan.

STRUMBO.

In our shop still withouten fail:

ALL.

Dan diddle dan.

DOROTHY.

This is our meat, this is our food:

ALL.

Dan, dan, dan, dan.

TROMPART.

This brings us to a merry mood:

ALL.

Dan diddle dan.

STRUMBO.

This makes us work for company:

ALL.

Dan, dan, dan, dan.

DOROTHY.

To pull the