"He is brass within and steel without,
His ship most huge and mighty strong,
With eighteen pieces of ordinance,
He carrieth on each side along.100
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 thou shewst," then said the lord,105
"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 thou will do so,
Take councel, then, I pray withal:110
Let no man to his top-castle go,
Nor strive to let his beams downfall.
"Lend me seven pieces of ordnance then,
Of each side of my ship," said he,
"And to-morrow, my Lord,115
Again I will your honour see.
A glass I 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."120
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,125
"Now by the heavens that be of might,
By faith, believe me, and my troth,
I think he is a worthy knight."
["Fetch me my lyon out of hand,"]
Saith the lord, "with rose and streamer high;130
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 top-sail at last he cast,135
But as a foe did him defie.
Sir Andrew Barton seeing him
Thus scornfully to pass by,
As tho' he cared not a pin
For him and his company;140
Then called he his men amain,
"Fetch back yon pedlar now," quoth he,
"And ere this way he comes again,
I'll teach him well his courtesie."
A piece of ordnance soon was shot145
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,150
For thou shall be hanged on main-mast,
If thou miss twelve score one penny breadth."
Then Peter Simon gave a shot,
Which did Sir Andrew mickle scare,
In at his deck it came so hot,155
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,