A True Relation of the Life and Death of Sir Andrew Barton a Pirate and Rover on the Seas.  
Tune, Come follow my Love, etc.  
 depiction of two ships at battle in full sail.  

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 hunting ride,  
over the river of Thames past he,  
Unto a mountain top also  
did walk some pleasure for to see:  
Where forty Merchants he espied,  
with fifty sail come towards him,  
Who then no sooner were arrived,  
but on their knees did thus complain:  
An't please your Grace, we cannot sail  
to France no voyage to be sure,  
But Sir Andrew Barton makes us quail,  
and robs us of our marchant-ware.  
Vexed was the King, and turning him  
said to his Lords of high degree,  
Have I ne'er a Lord within my Realm  
dare fetch that Traitor unto me?  
To him replied Charles Lord Howard,  
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 then speak 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 Scotch Knight I vow to seek,  
in what place soever he be,  
And bring ashore with all his might,  
or into Scotland 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 in all the Realm,  
His age was threescore years and ten,  
and Peter Simon was his name:  
My Lord called then a Bowman rare,  
whose active hands had gained fame,  
A Gentleman born in Yorkshire,  
and William Horsely was his name:  
Horsely, quoth he, I must to Sea  
to seek a Traitor with good speed;  
Of a hundred Bowmen brave, quoth he,  
I have chosen thee to be the Head.  
If you, my Lord, have chosen me  
of a hundred Men to be the Head,  
Upon the mainmast i'll hanged be,  
if twelvescore I miss one shillings breadth.  
Lord Howard then of courage bold,  
went to the Sea with pleasant cheer,  
Not curhed with winter's piercing cold,  
though it was the stormy time of year,  
Not long he had been on the Sea,  
on more in days than number three,  
But the Henry Hunt there he espied,  
a Merchant of Newcastle was he,  
To him Lord Howard called out amain,  
and strictly charged him to stand,  
Demanding then from whence he came,  
or where he did intent 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 show me, the Lord did say,  
as thou didst all by day and night,  
A Scotish Rover on the Sea,  
his name is Andrew Barton, Knight?  
Then the Merchant sighed and said,  
with grieved mind and well-away,  
But over-well I know that Wight,  
I was his Prisoner yesterday;  
As I, thy Lord, did sail from France,  
a Burdeaux-voyage to take so far.  
I met with Sir Andrew Barton thence,  
who robbed me of my merchant-ware:  
And much debts God knows I own,  
and every Man doth crave his own;  
And I am bound to London now,  
of our gracious King to beg a boon.  
Show me him, said Lord Howard then,  
let me once the Villain see,  
And ev'ry penny he hath from thee ta'en,  
i'll double the same with shillings three.  
Now God forbidden, the Merchant said,  
I fear your aim that you will miss:  
God bless you from his tyranny,  
for little you think what Man he is,  
He is brass within and steel without,  
his ship most huge and mighty strong,  
With eighteen pieces of ordnance  
he carrieth on each side along,  
With beams for his top-castle,  
as also being huge and high,  
That neither English nor Portugal  
can Sir Andrew Barton pass by.  
Hard news than show'st, than said the Lord,  
to welcome Stranger 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 top-castle go,  
nor strive to let his beams down fall:  
Lend me seven pieces of ordnance then  
of each side of my ship, said he,  
And to morrow, my Lord,  
again I will your Honour see:  
A glass i'll set as may be seen,  
whether you sail by day or night;  
And to morrow be sure before seven  
you shall see Sir Andrew Barton, Knight,  
The Merchant set my Lord a glass  
so well apparent in his sight,  
That 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 troth,  
I think he is a worthy Knight.  
Sir Andrew Barton seeing him  
thus scornful to pass by,  
As though he cared not a pin  
for him and all his Company;  
Then called he his Men amain,  
Fetch back yond Pedlar now, quoth he,  
And e'er this way he comes again,  
i'll t●ach him will his courtesy.  
Fetch me my lion out of hand,  
saith the Lord, with rose & streamer high;  
Set up withal a willow-wand,  
that Merchant like I may pass by.  
Thus bravely did Lord Howard pass,  
and on anchor rise so high,  
No topsail at ●ast he cast,  
but as a Foe did him defy.  
A piece of ordnance soon was shot,  
by this proud Pirate fiercely then,  
Into Lord Howard's middle deck,  
which cruel shot killed fourteen Men.  
He called then Peter Simon, he,  
Look how thy word do stand instead,  
For thou shall be hanged on mainmast,  
if thou miss twelvescore one penny breadth.  
Then Peter Simon gave a shot,  
which did Sir Andrew much scare,  
In at his deck it came so hot  
killed fifteen of his Men of war:  
Alas, then said the Pirate stout,  
I am in danger now I see;  
This is some Lord, I greatly fear  
that is set on to conquer me  
Then Henry Hunt with 〈◊〉 hot  
came bravely on the other side,  
Who likewise shot in at his deck,  
and killed fifty of his Men beside:  
Then out, alas, Sir Andrew cried,  
What may a Man now think or say,  
You Merchant-thief that pierceth me,  
he was my Prisoner yesterday.  
●hen did he on Gordian ra●l,  
●nto the top-castle for to go,  
〈◊〉 bid his beams he should let fall,  
for he greatly feared an overthrow.  
●he Lord called Horsel● now in haste,  
Look that thy word now stand instead,  
For thou shalt be hanged on mainmast,  
if thou miss twelvescore a shilling breadth.  
Then up mast-tree s●●erved he,  
this stout and mighty Gordian,  
But Horsely he most happily  
that him under the collar-bone:  
Then called he on his Nephew then,  
said, Sister's Sons I have no more,  
Three hundred pound I will give thee,  
if thou wilt to top-castle go.  
Then stoutly he began to climb,  
from off the mast scorned to departed.  
But Horsely soon prevented him,  
and deadly pierced him to the heart.  
His Men being slain, then up amain  
did this proud Pirate climb with speed;  
For armour of proof he had put on,  
and did not dint of arrows dread:  
Come hither Horsely, said the Lord,  
see thou thy arrows aim aright,  
Great means to thee I will afford,  
and if thou speedest i'll make the Knight:  
Sir Andrew did climb up the tree,  
with right good will and all his main;  
Then upon the breast hit Horsely he,  
till the arrow did return again:  
Then Horsely spied a private 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, said he, fear English Rogues,  
and of your Foes stand not in awe,  
But stand fast by St. Andrew's cross,  
until you hear my whistle blow.  
They never heard his whistle blow,  
which made them all full sore afraid.  
Then Horsely said, My Lord aboard,  
for now Sir Andrew Barton's dead;  
Thus boarded they this gallant ship,  
with right good will and all their main,  
Eighteen score Scots alive in it,  
besides as many more was slain.  
The Lord went where Sir Andrew lay,  
and quickly thence cut off his head;  
I should forsake England many a day,  
if thou were 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 our King:  
Who briefly then to him did say,  
before he knew well what was done,  
Where is the Knight and Pirate gay,  
that I myself may give the doom.  
You may thank God, then said the Lord,  
and four Men in the ship, quoth he,  
That we are safely come ashore,  
sigh you never had such an Enemy:  
That is Henry Hunt and Peter Simon,  
William Horsely and Peter's Son;  
Therefore reward them for their pains,  
for they did service at their turn.  
To the Merchant then the King did say,  
In lieu of what he hath from the tune,  
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:  
Horsely I will make the a Knight,  
and in Yorkshire thou shalt dwell:  
Lord Howard shall Earl Bury height,  
for this title he deserveth well:  
Seven shillings to our English Men,  
who in this fight did stoutly stand;  
And twelvepences a day to the Scots, till they  
come to my Brother King's high Land.    

Printed by and for W.O. and sold by the Booksellers of Pie-corner and London-bridge.