Invincible, vanquished, impregnable, shattered, a sign to her foes of fear,

A sign to the world and the stars of laughter, the fleet of the Lord lies here.

Nay, for none may declare the place of the ruin wherein she lies;

Nay, for none hath beholden the grave whence never a ghost shall rise.

The fleet of the foemen of England hath found not one but a thousand graves;

And he that shall number and name them shall number by name and by tale the waves.

VII

I

Sixtus, Pope of the Church whose hope takes flight for heaven to dethrone the sun,

Philip, king that wouldst turn our spring to winter, blasted, appalled, undone,

Prince and priest, let a mourner's feast give thanks to God for your conquest won.

[Pg 207]

England's heel is upon you: kneel, O priest, O prince, in the dust, and cry,

"Lord, why thus? art thou wroth with us whose faith was great in thee, God most high?

Whence is this, that the serpent's hiss derides us? Lord, can thy pledged word lie?

"God of hell, are its flames that swell quenched now for ever, extinct and dead?

Who shall fear thee? or who shall hear the word thy servants who feared thee said?

Lord, art thou as the dead gods now, whose arm is shortened, whose rede is read?

"Yet we thought it was not for nought thy word was given us, to guard and guide:

Yet we deemed that they had not dreamed who put their trust in thee. Hast thou lied?

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