A True Relation of the Life and Death of
Sir Andrew Barton, a Pyrate and Rover on the Seas. Tune is, Come follow my Love.
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WHen Flora with her fragrant flowers
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bedeckt the earth so trim and gay:
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And Neptune with his dainty showers,
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came to present the Month of May,
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King Henry would a Progress ride,
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over the River Thames past he,
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Unto a Mountain top also,
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did walk some pleasure for to see.
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Where forty Merchans he espy'd,
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with fifty Sail come towards him,
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Who then no sooner were arriv'd
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but on their knees did thus complain,
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An't please your Grace we cannot sail,
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to France no voyage to be sure,
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But Sir Andrew Barton makes us quail
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and Robs us of our Merchant Ware,
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Vext was the King, and turned him,
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said to his Lords of High degree,
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Have I ne'r a Lord within my Realm,
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dare fetch that Traytor unto me?
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To him reply'd Lord Charles Howard,
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I will my Liege with heart and hand
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If it please you grant me leave, he said
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I will perform what you command.
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To him then spake King Henry,
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I fear my Lord you are too young;
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No whit at al lmy Liege, quoth he,
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I hope to prove in valour strong;
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The Scotish Knight I vow to seek,
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in what place soever he be,
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And bring a shore with all his might,
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or into Scotland he shall carry me.
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A hundred men the King then said,
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out of my Realm shall chosen be,
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Besides Saylors and Ship-boys
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to guide a great Ship on the Sea:
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Bow-men and Gunners of good skill,
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shall for this service chosen be,
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And they at thy command and will,
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in all affairs shall wait on thee.
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Lord Howard call'd a Gunner then,
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who was the best in all the Realm,
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His age was threescore years and ten,
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and Peter Simon was his name:
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My Lord call'd then a Bow-man rare,
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whose active hands had gained fame,
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A Gentleman born in Yorkshire,
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and William Horsely was his name:
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Shortly (quoth he) I must to Sea,
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to seek a Traytor with good speed,
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Of a hundred Bow-men brave, quoth he,
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I have chosen thee to be head.
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If you my Lord have chosen me,
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of a hundred men to be the head,
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Upon the Main Mast i'le hanged be,
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of twelvescore miss one shilings bredth
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Lord Howard then, of courage bold,
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went to the Sea with pleasant chear,
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Not curb'd with Winters piercing cold;
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though it was stormy time of the year.
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Not long he had been on the Sea,
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no more in days then number three,
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But one Henry Hunt there he spy'd,
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a Merchant of New-castle was he.
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To him Lord Howard call'd out amain,
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and strictly charged him to stand,
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Demanding then from whence he came,
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or Where he did intend to land:
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The Merchant then made answer soon,
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with heavy heart and careful mind.
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My Lord, my Ship it doth belong,
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unto Newcastle upon Tine.
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Canst thou shew me the Lord did say,
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as thou didst sail by day and night,
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A Scotish Rover on the Sea,
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his name is Andrew Barton Knight.
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Then to him the Merchant sigh'd and said
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with grieved mind and well away,
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But overwell I know that wight,
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I was his Prisoner yesterday:
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As I (my Lord) did sail from France,
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a Burdeaux Voyage to take so far,
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I met with Sir Andrew Barton thence,
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who rob'd me of my Merchant ware.
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And mickle depts Gods knows I owe
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and every man did crave his own:
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And I am bound to London now,
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of our gracious King to beg a boon.
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Shew me him, said Howard then,
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let me but once the Villain see,
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And one Penny he hath from thee tane,
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i'le double the same with shilings three.
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Now God forbid the Merchant said,
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I fear your aim that you will miss,
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God bless you from his Tiranny,
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for little you know what Man he is.
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He is brass within, and steel without,
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his ship most huge and mighty strong
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With Eighteen pieces of Ordnance,
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he carrieth on each side along:
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With beams for his Top Castle,
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as also being huge and high,
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That neither English nor Potrugal,
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can sir Andrew Barton pass by.
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Hard news thou shew'st, then said the Lord
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to welcome strangers to the Sea,
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But as I said, i'le bring him aboard,
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or into Scotland he shall carry me.
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The Merchant said, if you will do so,
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take counsel then I pray withal:
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Let no Man to his Top-castle go,
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nor strive to let his Beams down fall.
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Lend me seven pieces of Ordnance then,
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of each side of my ship, quoth he:
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And to morrow my Lord,'twixt six & seven
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again I will your honour see.
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A Glass I'le set that may be seen,
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whether you sail by day or night,
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And to morrow be sure before seven,
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you shall see sir Andrew Barton Knight.
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The Merchant set my Lord a Glass,
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so well apparent in his sight:
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That on the morrow as his promise was,
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he saw sir Andrew Barton Knight.
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The Lord then swore a mighty Oath,
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now by the Heavens that be of might,
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By Faith believe me, and by Troth,
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I think he is a Worthy Knight.
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Sir Andrew Barton seeing him
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thus scornfully to pass by:
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As though he cared not a pin,
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for him and all his Company.
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Then called he his men amain,
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fetch back yon Pedler, now quoth he,
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And again this way he comes again,
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i'le teach him well his courtesie.
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Fetch me my Lyon out of hand,
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saith the Lord, with rose & streamer high
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Set up withal a Willow Wand,
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that Merchant like I pass by:
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Thus bravely did Lord Howard pass,
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and did on Anchor rise so high:
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No Top-sail at all he cast,
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but as his foe he did him defie.
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A piece of Ordnance soon was shot
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by this proud Pyrate fiercely then,
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Into Lord Howards middle Deck,
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which cruel shot kill'd fourteen men.
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He call'd then Peter Simon he,
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look now thy Word to stand in stead,
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For thou shalt be hanged on Main-mast,
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if thou miss 12 score one penny breadth,
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Then Peter Simon gave a shot,
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which did sir Andrew mickle scare:
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In at his deck it came so hot,
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kill'd fifteen of his Men of War:
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Alas then said the Pyrate stout,
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I am in danger now I see,
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This is some Lord I greatly doubt,
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that is set on to conquer me.
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Then Henry Hunt with rigour hot,
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came bravely on the other side,
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Who likewise shot in at his Deck,
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and kill'd fifty of his men beside:
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Then out alas sir Andrew cry'd,
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what may a Man now think or say?
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Yon Merchant-thief that pierceth me,
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he was my Prisoner yesterday.
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Then did he on Gordion call,
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unto Top-castle for to go,
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And bid his beams he should let fall,
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for I greatly fear an overthrow.
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The Lord call'd Horsly now in haste,
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look that thy word stand now in stead,
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For thou shalt be hanged on Main-mast,
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if thou miss 12 score a shilling breadth.
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Then up Mast-tree swarved he,
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this stout and mighty Gordion:
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But Horsly he most happily,
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shot him under the Collar-bone:
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Then call'd he on his Nephew then,
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said, Sisters Sons I have no mo:
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Three hundred pound I will give thee,
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if thou wilt to Top-Castle go.
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Then stoutly he began to climb,
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from off the Mast scorn'd to depart:
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But Horsly soon prevented him,
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and deadly pierc'd him to the heart.
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His Men being slain, then up amain,
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did this proud Pyrate climb with speed:
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For Armour of proof he had put on,
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and did not dint of Arrow dread.
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Come hither Horsly, said the Lord,
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see thine Arrow aim aright:
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Great means to thee I will afford,
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and if thou speed, i'le make you a Knight.
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Sir Andrew did climb up the Tree,
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with right good will and all his main;
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Then upon the Breast hit Horsly he,
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till the Arrow did return again.
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Then Horsly spyed a private place,
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with a perfect eye in a secret part:
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His Arrow swiftly flew apace,
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and smote Sir Andrew to the heart:
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Fight on, fight on, my merry Men all,
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a little I am hurt, yet not slain,
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I'le but lie down and bleed a while,
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and come and fight with you again.
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And do not, said he, fear English Rogues,
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and of your foes stand not in awe,
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But stand fast by Sir Andrews Cross,
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until you hear my Whistle blow.
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They never heard his Whistle blow,
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which made them sore afraid:
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Then Horsly said, my Lord aboard,
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for now Sir Andrew Barton's dead.
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Thus boarded they this gallant Ship,
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with right good will and all their main:
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Eighteen-score Scots alive in it,
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besides as many more were slain.
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The Lord went where Sir Andrew lay,
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and quickly thence cut off his Head:
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I should forsake England many a day,
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if thou wert alive as thou art dead.
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Thus from the Wars Lord Howard came,
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with mickle joy and triumphing:
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The Pyrates Head he brought along,
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for to present unto the King.
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Who briefly then to him did say,
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before he knew well what was done:
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Where is the Knight and Pyrate gay?
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that I my self my give the doom:
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You may thank God, then said the Lord,
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and four Men in the ship, quoth he,
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That we are safely come ashore,
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sith you had never such an enemy:
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That is Henry Hunt, and Peter Simon,
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William Horsly and Peters Son:
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Therefore reward them for their pains,
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for they did service at their turn.
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To the Merchant then the King did say,
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in lieu of what he hath from thee tane,
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I give thee a Noble a Day,
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Sir Andrews Whistle, and his Chain:
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To Peter Simon a Crown a day,
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and half a Crown a day to Peters Son:
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And that was for a shot so gay,
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which bravely brought sir Andrew down
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Horsly I will make thee a Knight,
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and in Yorkshire thou shalt dwell:
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Lord Howard shall Earl Burn hight,
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for this title he deserveth well:
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Seven Shillings to our English men,
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who in this fight did stoutly stand,
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And 12 pence a day to the Scots, till they
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come to my Brother Kings high Land.
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