The honour of an Apprentice of LONDON.  
Wherein is declared his matchless Manhood, and brave adventures done by him in Turkey, and by what means he married the King's daughter of that same Country.  
The tune is, All you that are good fellows.  

 

OF a worthy London Prentice  
my purpose is to speak,  
And tell his brave adventures  
done for his Country sake,  
Seek all the world abent  
and you shall hardly find  
A man in valour to exceed  
a prentice gallant mind.   

He was born in Cheshire,  
the chief of men was he.  
From thence brought up to London  
a Prentice for to be,  
A Merchant on the Bridge  
did like his service so,  
That for three years his Factor  
to Turkey he should go.   

And in that famous Country  
one year he had not been,  
Ere he by Tilt maintained  
the honour of his Queen.  
Elizabeth our Princess  
he nobly there made known  
To be the phoenix of the world  
and none but she alone.   

In Armour richly guilded  
well mounted on a Stead,  
One score of Knights most hardy  
one day he made to bleed,  
And brought them all to ground,  
who proudly durst deny  
Elizabeth to be the pearl  
of Princely Majesty.   

The King of that same Country  
thereat began to frown,  
And wiled his Son there present  
to pull this youngster down,  
Who at his father's words  
these boasting speeches said  
Thou art a traitor English boy,  
and hast the traitor played.   

I am no Boy nor traitor  
thy speeches I defy,  
Which here will be revenged  
upon thee by and by,  
A London Prentice still  
shall prove as good a man  
As any of your Turkish Knights  
do all the best you can.    

The second Part,  
to the same tune.  

ANd there with all he gave him  
a Box upon the ear,  
Which broke his neck asunder,  
as plainly doth appear,  
Now know proud Turk quoth he  
I am no English boy,  
That can with one small box o'th' ear  
the Prince of Turks destroy.   

When as the King perceived,  
his son so strangely slain,  
His soul was sore afflicted  
with more than mortal pain.  
And in revenge thereof  
he swore that he should die  
The cruelest death that ever man  
beheld with mortal eye.   

Two lions were prepared  
this Prentice to devour,  
Near famished up with hunger  
ten days with a tower.  
To make them far more fierce  
and ea●er of their prey  
To glut themselves with human gore  
upon that dreadful day   

The appointed time of torment  
at length grew near at hand,  
Where all the noble Lodies  
and Barons of the Land,  
Attended on the King  
to see this Prentice slain,  
And buried in the hungry maws  
of these fierce lions twain.   

Then in his shirt of cambric  
with silk most richly wrought  
This worthy London Prentice  
was from the prison brought  
And to the lions given,  
to staunch their hunger great  
Which had not eat in ten days' space  
on one small bit of meat.   

But God that knows all secrets  
the matter so contrived,  
That by this young man's valour  
they were of life deprived.  
For being faint for food,  
they scarcely could withstand,  
he noble force and fortitude  
Tanned courage of his hand.   

For when the hungr● 〈◊〉  
had cast on him their eyes  
The Elements did thunder  
with echo of their cries,  
And running all amain  
his body to devour  
Into their throats he thrust his arm,  
with all his might and power.   

From thence by manly valour,  
their hearts he tore in sunder,  
And at the King he threw them  
to all the people's wonder.  
This have I done quoth he  
for lovely England's sake.  
And for my Country Maiden Queen  
much more will undertake.   

But when the King perceived  
his wrathful lion's hearts,  
Afflicted with great terror  
his rigor soon reverts  
And turned all his hate,  
into remorse and love,  
And said it was some Angel sure  
sent down from God above,   

No no I am no Angel  
the courteous young man said  
But born in famous England,  
where God's word wor is obeyed,  
Asisted by the heavens.  
which did me thus befriend,  
Or else thou hadst most cruelly  
brought here my life to end,   

The King in heart amazed,  
lift up his hand to heaven,  
And for his sold offences  
did crave to be forgiven,  
Believing that no Land  
like England might be seen,  
Nor people better governed  
by virtue of a Queen.   

So taking up this young man  
he pardoned him his life.  
And gave his daughter to him  
to be his wedded wife.  
Where then they did remain  
and live in quiet peace,  
In spending forth their happy days  
Enjoy and loves increase.     

Printed for F. Coles, T. Vere, and W. Gilbertson▪