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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bedect the earth so trim and gay,
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And Neptune with her dainty showers,
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came to present the Month of May:
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King Henry would a Hunting ride,
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over the River of 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 Merchants he espyed,
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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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Vert 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 speak 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 Scotish Knight I vow to seek,
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in what place soever he be,
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And bring ashore 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 York-shire,
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and William Horsely was his name:
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Horsely (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 the 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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if twelvescore I miss one 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 curb'd with Winters piercing cold,
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though it was the stormy time of year,
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Not long he had been on the Sea,
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no more in days than number three,
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But one Henry Hunt there he espy'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 New-castle 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 the Merchant sigh'd and said,
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with grieved mind and well away,
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But over-well 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 debts God knows I owe,
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and every Man doth 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 Lord Howard then,
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let me once the Villian see,
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And e'ery penny he hath from thee ane,
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I'll double the same 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 you think 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 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 also being huge and high,
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That neither English nor Portugal,
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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 Ordinance then,
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of each side of my Ship, said he,
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And tomorrow, my Lord,
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again I will your honour see.
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A Glass i'le set as may be seen,
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whether you sail by day or night,
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And tomorrow 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 e'er 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 Wyllow wand,
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that Merchant like I may pass by.
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Thus bravely did Lord Howard pass,
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and on Anchor rise so high;
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No Top-sail at last he cast,
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but as a Foe did him defie.
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A piece of Ordanance 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 called then Peter Simon, he,
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look how thy word do stand instead,
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For thou shall 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 fear,
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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 killed 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 d[i]d he on Gordian 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 Horsely now in haste,
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look that thy word now stand instead,
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For thou shalt be hanged on Main-mast,
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if thou miss 12 score a shillings breadth.
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Then up mast tree swerved he,
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this stout and mighty Gordion,
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But Horsely 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 Horsely 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 Arrows dread.
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Come hither Horsely, said the Lord,
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see thou thy Arrows aim aright,
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Great means to thee I will afford,
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and if thou speed'st i'le make thee 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 Horsely he,
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till the Arrow did return again.
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Then Horsely spyed a private place,
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with a perfect eye in a secret part,
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His Arrow swiftly slew a pace,
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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 lye 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 all full sore afraid,
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Then Horsely 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 was 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 forsak'd 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 our 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 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 ashore,
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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 Horsely and Peters Sun;
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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 to thee a Noble a day,
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Sir Andrews Whistle and his Chain.
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To Peter Simon a Crown 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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Horsely I will make thee a Knight,
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and in York-shire thou shalt dwell:
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Lord Howard shall Earl Bury 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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