A True RELATION of the Death of
Sir Andrew Barton, a Pyrate and Rover.
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WHEN Flora with her fragrant Flowers,
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Bedeckd the Earth so trim and gay,
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And Iris with his dainty Showers,
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Came to present the Month of May;
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King Henry he would a Hunting ride;
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Over the River of Thames passd he,
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Unto a Mountain top also,
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Did walk some Pleasures for to see.
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Where forty Merchants he espyd,
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With forty Sail come towards him:
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Who then no sooner were arrivd,
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But on their knees did thus complain.
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Ant please your Grace we cannot sail,
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Unto France a Voyage to besure:
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But Sir Barton he makes us quail,
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And robs us of our Merchants store.
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Vexd was the King and turning him,
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Said to the Lords of high degree
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Have I neer a Lord within my Realm,
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Dares fetch that Traytor unto me?
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To him replyd Charles Lord 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 spoke King Henry,
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I fear my Lord you are too young:
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No whit at all my Liege quoth he,
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I hope to prove in Valour strong.
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The Scotch Knight now I vow to seek,
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In what Place soeer he be;
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And bring him a-shore with all 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 Sailors and Ship Boys,
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For to guide a Ship on the Sea.
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Bowmen 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 calld 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 calld then a Bowman 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 Horsly was his Name.
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Horsly, quoth he, I must go to Sea,
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For to seek a traytor with good speed:
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Of a hundred Bowmen brave quoth he,
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I shave chose thee to be their Head.
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If you my Lord, have chosen me,
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Of a Hundred Men to be their head,
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Upon the Main-mast I will be hangd,
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If Twelve-score I miss a Shillings Breadth.
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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 curbd with Winters piercing Cold,
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Tho twas a stormy Time of Year,
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Not long he had been on the Sea,
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More in Days than number three;
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But one Harry Hunt he there espyd,
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A Merchant of Newcastle has he.
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To him Lord Howard calld 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 whence 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-Tyne.
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Canst thou shew me, the Lord did say,
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As thou didst sail by day or night,
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A Scotish Rover on the Seas,
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His name is Andrew Barton, Knight,
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At this the Merchant sighd and said,
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With grieved Mind and Well-a way
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But over-well I know that Wight,
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I was his Prisoner but Yesterday,
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As I my Lord did sail from France,
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A Bourdeaux Voyage to take so far;
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I met with Sir Andrew Barton Knight,
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Who robbd me of my Merchant-ware.
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And Mickle Debts, God-wot I owe,
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And every man doth crave his own,
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And I am bound for London now;
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Of our gracious King to beg a boon.
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Shew me him, said Lord Howard then,
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Let me but once the Villain see;
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And evry Penny he hath from thee taen,
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Ill double it with Shillings 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 Tyranny.
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For little do you think what a 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 Ordinance,
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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 being also hugh and high:
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That neither English nor Portugal
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Can Sir Andrew Barton once pass by.
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Hard News thou shewest then said the Lord
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For to welcome Angels unto the Sea;
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But as I said, Ill being him abroad,
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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 withall:
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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 Ordinance then,
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On each side of my Ship, said he:
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And by To-morrow my good Lord,
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Again I will your Honour see.
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A glass Ill set as may be seen,
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Whither you sail by Day or Night,
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And To-morrow besure before Seven,
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You shall meet 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 the 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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Fetch me my Lyon out of hand,
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Saith he, with Rose and Streamers high;
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Set up withall a willow wand,
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That merchant-like I may pass by
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That bravely did Lord Howard pass.
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And on an Anchor rose so high;
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No Top-Sail at Length he cast,
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But as a Foe did him defy:
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Sir Andrew Barton seeing him,
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Thus scornfully for to pass by,
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As tho he cared not a Pin
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For him and his Company,
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Then called he for his men amain,
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Fetch back yon Pedlar, now quoth he,
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And eer this way he comes again,
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Ill teach him well his Courtesy,
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A Pieces of Ordinance being 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 killd fourteen Men;
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He calld them Peter Simon he,
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Look now thy Word do stand instead,
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For thou shalt be hanged on Man-mast,
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If thou miss twelvescore one shillings breadth
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Then Peter Simon gave a shot,
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Which Sir Andrew muckle scare;
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In at his Deck it came so hot,
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Killd 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 fear,
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Who is sat out 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 killd Fifty of his men besides;
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Then out alas! Sir Andrew cryd,
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What may a man now think or say;
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You 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 the TopsCastle for to go:
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And bid his Beams he should let fall;
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For he greatly feard an Overthrow.
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The Lord calld Hosley then in haste,
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Look that thy word do stand instead;
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For hanged thou shalt be on Main-mast
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If thou miss twelvescore a shillings breadth.
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Then up the Main-mast swerved 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 calld he on his Nephew, and
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Said, Sisters Son, I have no more;
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Three Hundred Pounds I will give thee,
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If thou wilt to the Top Castle go.
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Then stoutly he began to climb,
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For off the Mast scornd to depart:
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But Horsly soon prevented him,
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And deadly piercd him to the Heart.
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His men being slain then up a-main
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Did this droud Pyrate climb with speed,
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For Armour of proof he had put on,
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And not Hint of arrows dread.
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Come hither Horsly said the Lord,
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See thou thy arrows aim right;
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Great Means to thee Ill sure afford,
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And if thou speedst thou shalt be 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 his breast hit Horsley he,
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But the arrow did return again.
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Then Horsley spyd a private Place,
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With a Private Eye in a secret Part,
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His arrows 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,
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A little Im hurt but am not slain,
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I will lie down and bleed a while,
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And come and fight with you again.
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And dont 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 St 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 all most sore afraid;
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Then Horsley said my Lord a-board,
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For now Sir Andrew Bartons 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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Eighteenscore 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 then cut off his head.
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I should leave England many a Day,
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If thou were alive, as thou art dead.
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Thus from the war Lord Howard came
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With muckle 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 unto hin did say,
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Before he well knew what was done,
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Where is the Knight and Pyrate gay.
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That I myself may 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 on shoar,
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Sith you never had 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 in their turn.
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To the merchant therefore the King said,
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In lieu of what he hath from thee taken,
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Ill give to the a Noble a Day
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Sir Andrew Whistle and his chain.
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To Peter Simon a Crown a Day;
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And half a Crown 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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Horsley, I will make thee a Knight;
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And in Yorkshire thou shalt dwell;
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Lord Howard shall Lord Bury be,
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For this act deserveth well.
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Ninety Pounds our Englishmen,
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Who in this Fight did stoutly stand.
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And Twelve-pence a Day to the Scots, till this
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Come to my Brother Kings High-Land.
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