The Armada Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AABBCCDDEEFFGGHHEEII JJKKCCLLMMNNOOCCPPQR SSTUJJVVWWXYZZA2A2B2 B2C2C2D2D2E2E2F2F2VV BBC2C2DD| Attend all ye who list to hear our noble England's praise | A |
| I tell of the thrice famous deeds she wrought in ancient days | A |
| When that great fleet invincible against her bore in vain | B |
| The richest spoils of Mexico the stoutest hearts of Spain | B |
| It was about the lovely close of a warm summer day | C |
| There came a gallant merchant ship full sail to Plymouth Bay | C |
| Her crew had seen Castile's black fleet beyond Aurigny's isle | D |
| At earliest twilight on the waves lie heaving many a mile | D |
| At sunrise she escaped their van by God's especial grace | E |
| And the tall Pinta till the noon had held her close in chase | E |
| Forthwith a guard at every gun was placed along the wall | F |
| The beacon blazed upon the roof of Edgecumbe's lofty hall | F |
| Many a light fishing bark put out to pry along the coast | G |
| And with loose rein and bloody spur rode inland many a post | G |
| With his white hair unbonneted the stout old sheriff comes | H |
| Behind him march the halberdiers before him sound the drums | H |
| His yeomen round the market cross make clear an ample space | E |
| For there behoves him to set up the standard of Her Grace | E |
| And haughtily the trumpets peal and gaily dance the bells | I |
| As slow upon the labouring wind the royal blazon swells | I |
| Look how the Lion of the sea lifts up his ancient crown | J |
| And underneath his deadly paw treads the gay lilies down | J |
| So stalked he when he turned to flight on that famed Picard field | K |
| Bohemia's plume and Genoa's bow and Caesar's eagle shield | K |
| So glared he when at Agincourt in wrath he turned to bay | C |
| And crushed and torn beneath his claws the princely hunters lay | C |
| Ho strike the flagstaff deep sir Knight ho scatter flowers fair maids | L |
| Ho gunners fire a loud salute ho gallants draw your blades | L |
| Thou sun shine on her joyously ye breezes waft her wide | M |
| Our glorious semper eadem the banner of our pride | M |
| The freshening breeze of eve unfurled that banner's massy fold | N |
| The parting gleam of sunshine kissed that haughty scroll of gold | N |
| Night sank upon the dusky beach and on the purple sea | O |
| Such night in England ne'er had been nor e'er again shall be | O |
| From Eddystone to Berwick bounds from Lynn to Milford Bay | C |
| That time of slumber was as bright and busy as the day | C |
| For swift to east and swift to west the ghastly war flame spread | P |
| High on St Michael's Mount it shone it shone on Beachy Head | P |
| Far on the deep the Spaniard saw along each southern shire | Q |
| Cape beyond cape in endless range those twinkling points of fire | R |
| The fisher left his skiff to rock on Tamar's glittering waves | S |
| The rugged miners poured to war from Mendip's sunless caves | S |
| O'er Longleat's towers o'er Cranbourne's oaks the fiery herald flew | T |
| And roused the shepherds of Stonehenge the rangers of Beaulieu | U |
| Right sharp and quick the bells all night rang out from Bristol town | J |
| And ere the day three hundred horse had met on Clifton down | J |
| The sentinel on Whitehall gate looked forth into the night | V |
| And saw o'erhanging Richmond Hill that streak of blood red light | V |
| Then bugle's note and cannon's roar the death like silence broke | W |
| And with one start and with one cry the royal city woke | W |
| At once on all her stately gates arose the answering fires | X |
| At once the wild alarum clashed from all her reeling spires | Y |
| From all the batteries of the Tower pealed loud the voice of fear | Z |
| And all the thousand masts of Thames sent back a louder cheer | Z |
| And from the farthest wards was heard the rush of hurrying feet | A2 |
| And the broad streams of pikes and flags rushed down each roaring street | A2 |
| And broader still became the blaze and louder still the din | B2 |
| As fast from every village round the horse came spurring in | B2 |
| And eastward straight from wild Blackheath the warlike errand went | C2 |
| And roused in many an ancient hall the gallant squires of Kent | C2 |
| Southward from Surrey's pleasant hills flew those bright couriers forth | D2 |
| High on bleak Hampstead's swarthy moor they started for the north | D2 |
| And on and on without a pause untired they bounded still | E2 |
| All night from tower to tower they sprang they sprang from hill to hill | E2 |
| Till the proud Peak unfurled the flag o'er Darwin's rocky dales | F2 |
| Till like volcanoes flared to heaven the stormy hills of Wales | F2 |
| Till twelve fair counties saw the blaze on Malvern's lonely height | V |
| Till streamed in crimson on the wind the Wrekin's crest of light | V |
| Till broad and fierce the star came forth on Ely's stately fane | B |
| And tower and hamlet rose in arms o'er all the boundless plain | B |
| Till Belvoir's lordly terraces the sign to Lincoln sent | C2 |
| And Lincoln sped the message on o'er the wide vale of Trent | C2 |
| Till Skiddaw saw the fire that burned on Gaunt's embattled pile | D |
| And the red glare on Skiddaw roused the burghers of Carlisle | D |
Thomas Babbington Macaulay
(1)
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About The Armada
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