"Such," Quoth He, "Hath Been The Valiantness
Of Our Countrymen, And Such Hath Been The Mighty Power Of Our God."
With such other like encouragements, exhorting them to behave
themselves manfully, they fell all on their knees, making their prayers
Briefly unto God; who, being all risen up again, perceived their
enemies, by their signs and defiances, bent to the spoil, whose mercy
was nothing else but cruelty; whereupon every man took him to his
weapon.
Then stood up one Grove, the master, being a comely man, with his sword
and target, holding them up in defiance against his enemies. So
likewise stood up the owner, the master's mate, boatswain, purser, and
every man well appointed. Now likewise sounded up the drums, trumpets,
and flutes, which would have encouraged any man, had he never so little
heart or courage in him.
Then taketh him to his charge John Fox, the gunner, in the disposing of
his pieces, in order to the best effect, and, sending his bullets
towards the Turks, who likewise bestowed their pieces thrice as fast
towards the Christians. But shortly they drew near, so that the bowmen
fell to their charge in sending forth their arrows so thick amongst the
galleys, and also in doubling their shot so sore upon the galleys, that
there were twice so many of the Turks slain as the number of the
Christians were in all. But the Turks discharged twice as fast against
the Christians, and so long, that the ship was very sore stricken and
bruised under water; which the Turks, perceiving, made the more haste
to come aboard the ship: which, ere they could do, many a Turk bought
it dearly with the loss of their lives. Yet was all in vain; boarded
they were, where they found so hot a skirmish, that it had been better
they had not meddled with the feast; for the Englishmen showed
themselves men indeed, in working manfully with their brown bills and
halberds, where the owner, master, boatswain, and their company stood
to it so lustily, that the Turks were half dismayed. But chiefly the
boatswain showed himself valiant above the rest, for he fared amongst
the Turks like a wood lion; for there was none of them that either
could or durst stand in his face, till at last there came a shot from
the Turks which brake his whistle asunder, and smote him on the breast,
so that he fell down, bidding them farewell, and to be of good comfort,
encouraging them, likewise, to win praise by death, rather than to live
captives in misery and shame, which they, hearing, indeed, intended to
have done, as it appeared by their skirmish; but the press and store of
the Turks were so great, that they were not long able to endure, but
were so overpressed, that they could not wield their weapons, by reason
whereof they must needs be taken, which none of them intended to have
been, but rather to have died, except only the master's mate, who
shrunk from the skirmish, like a notable coward, esteeming neither the
value of his name, nor accounting of the present example of his
fellows, nor having respect to the miseries whereunto he should be put.
But in fine, so it was, that the Turks were victors, whereof they had
no great cause to rejoice or triumph.
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