"And seven pieces of ordinance,
I pray your honour lend to mee,130
On each side of my shipp along,
And I will lead you on the sea.
A glasse Ile sett, that may be seene,
Whether you sayle by day or night;
And to-morrowe, I sweare, by nine of the clocke,
You shall meet with Sir Andrewe Barton, knight."135
[1-4]. from the printed copy.
[54]. from the printed copy.
[91]. The MS. has here archborde, but in Part II. v. [5], hachebord.
[115]. It should seem from hence, that before our marine artillery was brought to its present perfection, some naval commanders had recourse to instruments or machines, similar in use, though perhaps unlike in construction, to the heavy Dolphins made of lead or iron used by the ancient Greeks; which they suspended from beams or yards fastened to the mast, and which they precipitately let fall on the enemies' ships, in order to sink them, by beating holes through the bottoms of their undecked triremes, or otherwise damaging them.—Percy.
THE SECOND PART.
The merchant sett my lorde a glasse,
Soe well apparent in his sight,
And on the morrowe, by nine of the clocke,
He shewed him Sir Andrewe Barton, knight.
His [hachebord] it was hached with gold,5
Soe deerlye dight it dazzled the ee;
"Nowe by my faith," Lord Howarde sais,
"This is a gallant sight to see.
"Take in your ancyents, standards eke,
So close that no man may them see;10
And put me forth a white willowe wand,
As merchants use to sayle the sea."
[But they stirred neither top nor mast;]
Stoutly they past Sir Andrew by;
"What English churles are yonder," he sayd,15
"That can soe litle curtesye?
"Now by the roode, three yeares and more
I have been admirall over the sea,
And never an English nor Portingall
Without my leave can passe this way."20
Then called he forth his stout pinnàce;
"Fetch backe yond pedlars nowe to mee:
I sweare by the masse, yon English churles
Shall all hang att my maine-mast tree."