A true Relation of the Life and Death of Sir Andrew Barton, a Pirate and Rover on the Seas  
To the tune of, Come follow me Love..  
 


WHen Flora with her fragrant flowers,  
bedecked the earth so trim and gay,  
And Neptune with his dainty showers,  
came to present the month of May:  
King Henry would a progress ride,  
over the River Thames passed he,  
Unto a Mountain's top also,  
did walk some pleasure for to see.   

Where forty Merchants he espied,  
with swiftest sail came towards him,  
Who then no sooner were arrived,  
but on their knees did thus complain:  
an't like your Grace, we cannot sail,  
to France no voyage to be sure.  
But Sir Andrew Barton makes us quail,  
and robs us of our Merchant's ware.   

Uert was the King, and turned him,  
said to his Lords of best degree,  
Have I ne'er a Lord in all my Realm,  
dare fetch that Traitor unto me:  
To him replied Lord Charles Howa●d,  
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 than spoke King Henry,  
I fear my Lord you are too young:  
No whit at all my Liege, quoth he,  
I hope to prove in valour strong:  
The Scottish Knight I vow to seek,  
in place wheresoever that he be,  
And bring on shore with all his might,  
or into Scot●and he shall carry me.   

A hundred men the King then said  
out of my Realm shall chosen be,  
Besides Sailors, and Ship-boys,  
to guide a great Ship on the Sea.  
Bowmen 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 called a Gunner then  
who was the best of all the Realm,  
His age was threescore years and ten,  
one Peter Simon was his name.  
My Lord called then a Bowman rare,  
whose active hands had gained fame,  
A Gentleman borne in Yorkshire  
and William Horsly was his name.   

Horsly, quoth he, I must to sea,  
to seek a Traitor with great speed,  
Of an hundred bowmen brave, quoth he,  
I have chosen thee to be my head:  
If you my Lord have chosen me,  
of an hundred men to be the head,  
Upon main Mast I'll hanged be,  
if twelve score I miss one shilling breadth   

Lord Howard then of courage bold,  
went to the sea with pleasant cheer,  
Not curbed with winter's piercing cold,  
though it was the stormy time of the year  
Not long he had been on the seas,  
no more than days in number three,  
Till one Henry Hunt he then espied,  
a Merchant os Newcastle was he.   

To him Lord Howard called out amain,  
and strictly charged him to stand,  
Demanding then from whence he came,  
〈◊〉 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 Newcastle upon Tine.   

Canst thou me show, the Lord did say,  
as thou didst sail by day and night,  
A Scottish Rover who lies on Sea,  
his name is Sir Andrew Barton knight  
Then to him the Merchant said, and sighed  
with a grieved mind and a wellaway,  
But over well I know that wight,  
for I was his prisoner but yesterday.   

As I my Lord did pass from France  
a Bordeaux voyage to take so far,  
I met Sir Andrew Barton thence,  
who robbed me of my Merchant's ware,  
And much debts (God knows) I owe,  
and every man did crave his own,  
And I am bound to London now,  
of our gracious King to beg a boon.    

The second part, To the same tune.  

Show me him said Lord Howard then,  
let me but once that villain see,  
And for one penny he hath from thee ta'en,  
I'll double the same with shillings three  
Now (God forbid) my Lord, quoth he,  
I fear your aim that you wil● miss,  
God bless you from his tyranny  
for you little know what man he is.   

●e is brass within and steel without,  
his ship most huge and very strong:  
With eighteen pieces strong and stout,  
he carrieth on each side along:  
With beams from her Topcastle,  
as also being huge and high,  
That neither English nor Portugal,  
can Sir Andrew Barton pass by,   

Hard news thou showest, then said my Lord  
to welcome strangers 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 than I pray withal,  
Let no man to his topcastle go,  
nor strive to let his beams down fall.   

Lend me seven pieces of Ordinance then,  
of either side my ship quoth he,  
And to morrow my Lord 'twixt six and seven  
again I will your honour see:  
A glass I'll set that may be seen  
whether you sail by day or night:  
And to morrow surely before seven  
you shall see Sir Andrew Barton knight.   

The Merchant set my Lord a glass,  
so we●l apparent to his sight,  
Then 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 truth,  
I think he is a worthy weight.   

Fetch ●e my Lion out of hand  
saith the Lord, with Rose & Streamers hie,  
Set up withal a Willow wand,  
that Merchant like I may pass by.  
Thus bravely Lord Howard past,  
and d●d on Anchor ride so high,  
No top-sale down at all he cast,  
but as his foe did him defy.   

A piece of Ordinance soon was shot,  
by this proud Pirate fiercely then,  
Into Lo●d howard's middle Deck,  
which cruel shot killed fourteen men,  
He called then Peter Simon he  
look now thy word do stand in stead,  
For tho● shalt be hanged on main Mast,  
if thou miss twelve score one penny bred.   

Then Peter Simon gave a shot,  
which did Sir Andrew much scar,  
In at his Deck it came so hot,  
killed fifty of his men of war.  
Alas, then said the Pirate stout,  
I am in danger now I see,  
This is some Lord I greatly doubt,  
that's now set on to conquer me.   

Then Henry Hunt with rigour ●ot,  
came bravely on his other side,  
Who likewise shot in at his deck,  
and killed five of his men beside.  
Then out alas, sir Andrew cried,  
what may a man now think or say,  
Yond Merchant thief that pierceth me,  
he was my prisoner but yesterday.   

Then did he on one Gordian call,  
unto Topcastle for to go,  
And bid his beams he should let fall,  
for I greatly fear an overthrow.  
The Lord called Horsly then in haste,  
look that thy word stand now in stead,  
For thou shalt be hanged on main Mast,  
if thou miss twelve score a finger bred.   

Then up Mast tree than swarmed he,  
this stout and mighty Gordian,  
But Horsly he most happily,  
shot him under the colour bone:  
Then called he of his Nephew then,  
saith, sister's sons I have no more,  
Three hundred pounds I'll give to thee,  
if thou wilt to Topcastle go.   

Then stoutly he began to climb,  
and from the Mast scorned to depart,  
But Horsly soon prevented him,  
and deadly pierced him to the heart  
His men being slain then up amain,  
did this stout Pirate climb with speed,  
For armour of proof he had put on,  
and did not dint of Arrow dread.   

Come hither Ho●sl● then said the Lord,  
see that thy arro●●yme aright:  
Great means to thee I will afford  
and if thou speed I'll make thee Knight,  
Sir Andrew he did climb up the tree  
with right good will, and all his main  
Then upon the breast hit Horsl● he,  
till the arrow did return again.   

Then Horsly spied a privy place,  
with a perfect eye in a secret part,  
His arrow swiftly 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 lie down and bleed a while,  
and come and fight with you again   

And do not, saith he, fear English Rogues  
and of your Foes stand in no awe,  
But stand fast by S. Andrew's cross,  
until you hear my whistle blow,  
They never heard his whistle blow,  
which made them all full sore afraid:  
Then Horsly said, my Lord aboard,  
for now Sir Andrew barton's dead.   

Then boarded they that gallant ship,  
with a right good will and all their main  
Eighteenescore Scots alive in it,  
beside as many more were slain,  
The Lord went where sir Andrew lay,  
and quickly then cut off his head:  
I would forswear England many a day,  
if thou wert alive as thou art dead.   

Thus from the wars Lord Howard came,  
with much joy, and triumphing,  
The Pirate's head he brought along,  
for to present unto the King:  
Who briefly then to him did say,  
before he knew well what was done,  
Where is the knight and Pirate gay,  
th●t I myself may be his doom.   

You may thank God, then said the Lord  
and four men in this ship with me,  
That we are safely come to shore,  
sith you never had such an enemy,  
That's Henry Hunt and Peter Simon,  
William Horsly, and Peter's son:  
Therefore reward them for their pain,  
for they did service at their turn.   

To the Merchant then the King did say,  
in lieu of what he had from thee ta'en,  
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.   

Horsly I will make thee a Knight,  
and in Yorkshire there shalt thou dwell,  
Lord Howard shall Earl of Bury hight,  
for his title he hath deserved well,  
Seven shillings to our English men,  
who to this fight did stoutly stand,  
And 12 pence a day to the Scots, till they  
come to my brother King his Land.    
FINIS.   

London Printed for E. W.