Page:Batrachomyomachia, or, the wonderfull and bloudy Battell betweene Frogs and Mice.djvu/47

Then friends, kind friends, & fellowes to your king,
Plucke up your spirits, banish slavish feares;
For in this warre, whence terrour seemes to spring,
Me thinkes great joy and comfort still appeares,
Since gallant Frogs, whom nothing terrifies,
Fight with a starved troope of hungry Mice.
Courage, brave mates, take weapons, and to fight:
"Fortune defends true valour in his right.

But since men may in warre sometimes prevayle,
As much by policy, as power or might,
And that where strength and prowesse often fayle,
Wit doth at length give succour to the right.
^[1]I wish you arme your selves with speare & shield,
And march along the shore unto the field,
Where, on a hill which over-lookes the flood,
We will incampe our selves as in a wood.

When to this place these craven Mice convay
Their fearefull souldiers, like a flocke of sheepe,
And to besiege our fortresse shall assay,
Where we upon the hill our forces keepe:
If any boasting Mouce upon the banke,
Dare but ascend one foot before his ranke,
Him we will all assayle infurious mood,
And cast his body headlong in the flood.

1. A rare policy of the Frogs.

By