The Honour of an Apprentice of LONDON.
Wherein is declared his matchless Manhood, and brave Adventures done by him in Turky, and
by what means he married the Kings Daughter of that same Countrey.
The tune is, All you that are good Fellows.
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OF a worthy London Prentice
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my purpose is to speak,
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And tell his brave Adventures
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done for his Countries sake,
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Seek all the world about
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and you shall hardly find
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A man in Valour to exceed
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a Prentice gallant mind.
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He was born in Cheshire,
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the chief of men was he,
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From thence brought up to London
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a Prentice for to be,
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A Merchant on the Bridge
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did like his service so,
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[That] for three years his Factor
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[to Turkey he] should go.
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[And in that famous Country
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one year he had not been,
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Ere he by Tilt maintained
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the honour of his Queen
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Elizabeth our Princess
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he nobly there made known
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To be the Phenix of the world
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and none but she alone]
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In Armour richly gilded,
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well mounted on a Steed,
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One score of Knights most hardy
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one day he made to bleed,
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And brought them all to ground,
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who proudly did deny
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Elizabeth to be the Pearl
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of Princely Majesty.
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The King of that same Country
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thereat began to frown,
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And wild his Son there present
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to pull this youngster down.
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Who at his Fathers words
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these boating speeches said,
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Thou at his Fathers words
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these boasting speeches said,
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Thou art a Traytor English Boy
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and hast the Traytor plaid.
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I am no Boy nor Traytor,
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thy speeches I defie,
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Which here will be revenged
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upon thee by and by:
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A London Prentice still
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shall prove as good aman,
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As any of your Turkish Knights,
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do all the best you can.
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The Second Part, To the same Tune.
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ANd therewithal he gave him
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a box upon the ear,
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Which broke his neck asunder
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as plainly doth appear.
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Now know proud Turk, quoth he,
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I am no English Boy,
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That can with one small box oth ear,
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the Prince of Turks destroy.
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When as the King perceived
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his Son so strangely slain,
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His soul was sore afflicted
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with more than mortal pain:
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And in revenge thereof
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he swore that he should dye
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The cruelst death that ever man
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beheld with mortal eye.
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Two Lions were prepared
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this Prentice to devour,
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Neer famisht up with hunger
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ten dayes within a tower,
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To make them far more fierce,
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and eager of their prey,
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To glut themselves with humane gore,
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upon this dreadful day.
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The appointed time of torment,
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at length grew near at hand,
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Where all the Noble Ladies
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and Barons of the Land
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Attended on the King
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to see this Prentice slain,
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And buried in the hungry maws
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of these two Lions twain.
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Then in his shirt of Cambrick,
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with silk most richly wrought,
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This worthy London Prentice
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was from the Prison brought,
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And to the Lions given,
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to stanch their hunger great,
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Which had [n]ot eat in ten days space,
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not one small bit of meat.
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But God that knows all secrets,
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the matter so contrivd,
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That by this young mans Valour,
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they were of life deprivd,
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For being faint for food,
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they scarcely could withstand,
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The Noble Force and Fortitude,
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and Courage of his hand.
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For when the hungry Lions
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had cast on him their eyes,
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The Elemenss did thunder
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with Echo of their cryes.
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And running all amain,
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his body to devour,
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Into their throats he thrust his arms
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with all his might and power.
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From thence by manly valour
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their hearts he tore in sunder,
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And at the King he threw them,
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to all the peoples wonder.
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This I have done, quoth he,
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for lovely Englands sake,
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And for my Country Maiden Queen
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much more will undertake.
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But when the King perceived
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his wrathful Lions hearts,
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Afflicted with great terror,
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his Rigor soon reverts,
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And turned all his hate
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into remorse and love,
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And said it was some Angel
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sent down from Heaven above.
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No no I am no Angel,
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the courteous young man said,
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But born in famous England,
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where Gods Word is obeyd,
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Assisted by the Heavens
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which did me thus befriend,
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Or else they had most cruelly
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brought here my life to end,
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The King in heart amazed,
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lift up his hands to Heaven,
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And for his soul offences
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did crave to be forgiven:
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Believing that no Land
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like England might be seen,
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No people better governed,
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by vertue of a Queen.
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So taking up this young man,
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he pardoned him his life,
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And gave his Daughter to him
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to be his wedded Wife,
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Where then they did remain,
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and live in quiet peace,
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In spending forth their happy dayes
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in joy and loves increase.
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