A true relation of the life and death of Sir Andrew Barton, a pyrate and rover on the seas. Tune, Come follow my love, &c.

A True Relation of the Life and Death of Sir Andrew Barton a Pyrate and Rover on the Seas. Tune, Come follow my Love, &c.

depiction of two ships at battle in full sail.

WHen Flora with her fragrant flowers bedect the earth ſo trim and gay, And Neptune with his dainty ſhowers came to preſent the month of May; King Henry would a hunting ride, over the river of Thames paſt he, Vnto a mountain top alſo did walk ſome pleaſure for to ſee: Where forty Merchants he eſpyed, with fifty ſail come towards him, Who then no ſooner were arriv'd, but on their knees did thus complain: An't pleaſe your Grace, we cannot ſail to France no voyage to be ſure, But Sir Andrew Barton makes us quail, and robs us of our marchant-ware. Vext was the King, and turning him ſaid to his Lords of high degree, Have I ne'r a Lord within my Realm dare fetch that Traytor unto me? To him reply'd Charles Lord Howard, I will my Liege with heart and hand, If it pleaſe you grant me leave, he ſaid, I will perform what you command. To him then speak King Henry, I fear, my Lord, you are too young. No whit at all, my Leige, quoth he; I hope to prove in valour ſtrong: The Scotch Knight I vow to ſeek, in what place ſoever he be, And bring aſhore with all his might, or into Scotland he ſhall carry me, A hundred Men, the King then ſaid, out of my Realm ſhall choſen be, Beſides Saylers and Ship-boys, to guide a great ſhip on the Sea; Bow-men and Gunners of good skill ſhall for this ſervice choſen be, And they at thy command and will in all affairs ſhall wait on thee. Lord Howard call'd a Gunner then, who was the beſt in all the Realm, His age was threeſcore years and ten, and Peter Simon was his name: My Lord call'd then a Bow-man rare, whoſe active hands had gained fame, A Gentleman born in Yorkſhire, and William Horſely was his name: Horſely, quoth he, I muſt to Sea to ſeek a Traytor with good ſpeed; Of a hundred Bow-men brave, quoth he, I have choſen thee to be the Head. If you, my Lord, have choſen me of a hundred Men to be the Head, Vpon the main-maſt i'll hanged be, if twelveſcore I miſs one ſhillings breadth. Lord Howard then of courage bold, went to the Sea with pleaſant chear, Not curh'd with winter's piercing cold, though it was the ſtormy time of year, Not long he had been on the Sea, on more in days than number three, But the Henry Hunt there he eſpy'd, a Merchant of New-caſtle was he, To him Lord Howard call'd out amain, and ſtrictly charged him to ſtand, Demanding then from whence he came, or where he did intend to land: The Merchant then made anſwer ſoon, with heavy heart and careful mind, My Lord, my ſhip it doth belong unto New-caſtle upon Tine. Canſt thou ſhew me, the Lord did ſay, as thou didſt all by day and night, A Scotiſh Rover on the Sea, his name is Andrew Barton, Knight? Then the Merchant ſigh'd and ſaid, with grieved mind and well-away, But over-well I know that Wight, I was his Priſoner yeſterday; As I, thy Lord, did ſail from France, a Burdeaux-voyage to take ſo far. I met with Sir Andrew Barton thence, who rob'd me of my merchant-ware: And mickle debts God knows I owe, and every Man doth crave his own; And I am bound to London now, of our gracious King to beg a boon. Shew me him, ſaid Lord Howard then, let me once the Villain ſee, And e'ry penny he hath from thee tane, i'll double the ſame with ſhillings three. Now God forbid, the Merchant ſaid, I fear your aim that you will miſs: God bleſs you from his tyranny, for little you think what Man he is, He is braſs within and steel without, his ſhip moſt huge and mighty ſtrong, With eighteen pieces of ordnance he carrieth on each ſide along, With beams for his top-caſtle, as alſo being huge and high, That neither Engliſh nor Portugal can Sir Andrew Barton paſs by. Hard news than ſhew'ſt, then ſaid the Lord, to welcome Stranger to the Sea: But as I ſaid i'll bring him aboard, or into Scotland he ſhall carry me. The Merchant ſaid, If you will do ſo, take counſel then I pray withal, Let no Man to his top-caſtle go, nor ſtrive to let his beams down fall: Lend me ſeven pieces of ordnance then of each ſide of my ſhip, ſaid he, And to morrow, my Lord, again I will your Honour ſee: A glaſs i'll ſet as may be ſeen, whether you ſail by day or night; And to morrow be ſure before ſeven you ſhall ſee Sir Andrew Barton, Knight, The Merchant ſet my Lord a glaſs ſo well apparent in his ſight, That on the morrow, as his promiſe was, he ſaw Sir Andrew Barton, Knight. The Lord then ſwore a mighty oath, Now by the Heavens that be of might, By faith believe me, and by troth, I think he is a worthy Knight. Sir Andrew Barton ſeeing him thus ſcornfull to paſs by, As though he cared not a pin for him and all his Company; Then called he his Men amain, Fetch back yon Pedler now, quoth he, And e're this way he comes again, i'll t • ach him will his courteſie. Fetch me my lyon out of hand, ſaith the Lord, with roſe & ſtreamer high; Set up withal a willow-wand, that Merchant like I may paſs by. Thus bravely did Lord Howard paſs, and on anchor riſe ſo high, No top-ſail at • aſt he caſt, but as a Foe did him defie. A piece of ordnance ſoon was ſhot, by this proud Pirate fiercely then, Into Lord Howard's middle deck, which cruel ſhot kil'd fourteen Men. He called then Peter Simon, he, Look how thy word do ſtand inſtead, For thou ſhall be hanged on main-maſt, if thou miſs twelveſcore one peny breadth. Then Peter Simon gave a ſhot, which did Sir Andrew mickle ſcare, In at his deck it came ſo hot kill'd fifteen of his Men of war: Alas, then ſaid the Pirate stout, I am in danger now I ſee; This is ſome Lord, I greatly fear that is ſet on to conquer me Then Henry Hunt with 〈◊〉 hot came bravely on the other ſide, Who likewiſe ſhot in at his deck, and killed fifty of his Men beſide: Then out, alas, Sir Andrew cry'd, What may a Man now think or ſay, You Merchant-thief that pierceth me, he was my Priſoner yeſterday. • hen did he on Gordian ra • l, • nto the top-caſtle for to go, 〈◊〉 bid his beams he ſhould let fall, for he greatly fear'd an overthrow. • he Lord call'd Horſel • now in haſte, Look that thy word now ſtand inſtead, For thou ſhalt be hanged on main-maſt, if thou miſs twelveſcore a ſhilling breadth. Then up maſt-tree ſ •• erved he, this ſtout and mighty Gordian, But Horſely he moſt happily that him under the collar-bone: Then call'd he on his Nephew then, ſaid, Siſter's Sons I have no mo, Three hundred pound I will give thee, if thou wilt to top-caſtle go. Then ſtoutly he began to climb, from off the maſt ſcorn'd to depart. But Horſely ſoon prevented him, and deadly pierc'd him to the heart. His Men being ſlain, then up amain did this proud Pirate climb with ſpeed; For armour of proof he had put on, and did not dint of arrows dread: Come hither Horſely, ſaid the Lord, ſee thou thy arrows aim aright, Great means to thee I will afford, and if thou ſpeed'ſt i'll make the Knight: Sir Andrew did climb up the tree, with right good will and all his main; Then upon the breaſt hit Horſely he, till the arrow did return again: Then Horſely ſpied a private place, with a perfect eye in a ſecret part, His arrow ſwifly flew apace, and ſmote Sir Andrew to the heart: Fight on, fight on, my merry Men all, a little I am hurt, yet not ſlain, I'll but lye down and bleed a while, and come and fight with you again: And do not, ſaid he, fear Engliſh Rogues, and of your Foes ſtand not in awe, But ſtand faſt by St. Andrew's croſs, until you hear my whiſtle blow. They never heard his whiſtle blow, which made them all full ſore afraid. Then Horſely ſaid, My Lord aboard, for now Sir Andrew Barton's dead; Thus boarded they this gallant ſhip, with right good will and all their main, Eighteen ſcore Scots alive in it, beſides as many more was ſlain. The Lord went where Sir Andrew lay, and quickly thence cut off his head; I ſhould forſake England many a day, if thou were alive as thou art dead. Thus from the wars Lord Howard came, with mickle joy and triumphing; The Pirate's head he brought along for to preſent unto our King: Who briefly then to him did ſay, before he knew well what was done, Where is the Knight and Pirate gay, that I myſelf may give the doom. You may thank God, then ſaid the Lord, and four Men in the ſhip, quoth he, That we are ſafely come aſhore, ſith you never had ſuch an Enemy: That is Henry Hunt and Peter Simon, William Horſely and Peter's Son; Therefore reward them for their pains, for they did ſervice at their turn. To the Merchant then the King did ſay, In lieu of what he hath from the tune, I give to thee a noble a day, Sir Andrew's whiſtle and his chain: To Peter Simon a crown a day; and half a crown a day to Peter's Son; And that was for a ſhot ſo gay which bravely brought Sir Andrew down: Horſely I will make the a Knight, and in Yorkſhire thou ſhalt dwell: Lord Howard ſhall Earl Bury hight, for this title he deſerveth well: Seven ſhillings to our Engliſh Men, who in this fight did ſtoutly ſtand; And twelve-pence a day to the Scots, till they come to my Brother King's high Land.