But what sayst thou, thou Francis Norton,
mine eldest sonne and mine heyre trulye?
some good councell, Francis Norton,
this day thou give to me.”
“But I will give you councell, father,
if you will take councell at mee;
for if you wold take my councell, father,
against the crowne you shold not bee.”
“But fye upon thee, Francis Norton!
I say Fye upon thee!
When thou was younge and tender of age
I made full much of thee.”
“But your head is white, father,” he sayes,
“and your beard is wonderous gray;
it were shame for your countrye
if you shold rise and flee away.”
“But fye upon thee, thou coward Francis!
thou never tookest that of mee!
when thou was younge and tender of age
I made too much of thee.”
“But I will goe with you, father, quoth hee,
like a naked man will I be;
he that strikes the first stroake against the crowne,
an ill death may hee dye!”
But then rose up Master Norton that Esquier,
with him a full great companye;
and then the Erles they comen downe
to ryde in his companye.
Att Whethersbye they mustered their men
upon a full fayre day;
thirteen thousand there were seene
to stand in battel ray.
The Erle of Westmoreland, he had in his ancyent[28]
the Dunne Bull in sight most hye,
and three doggs with golden collers
were sett out royallye.
The Erle of Northumberland, he had in his ancyent
the Halfe Moone in sight so hye,
as the Lorde was crucifyed on the Crosse,
and sett forthe pleasantlye.