He caused his body to be taken downe,
And over the hatch-bord cast into the sea,
And about his middle three hundred crownes:
‘Wheresoever thou lands, it will bury thee!’
LXX
With his head they sayl’d into England againe,
With right good will and force and main,
And on the day before New-Year’s Even
Into Thames’ mouth they came againe.
LXXI
Lord Howard wrote to King Henry’s grace,
With all the newes hee co’ld him bring:
‘Such a New Year’s gift I have brought to your Grace
As never did subject to any King.
LXXII
‘For merchandise, yea and manhood,
The like is nowhere to be found;
The sight of these wo’ld do you good,
For you have not the like in your English ground.’
LXXIII
When the King heard tell that they were come,
Full royally he welcomed them home;
Sir Andrew’s ship was his New-Year’s gift;
A braver ship you never saw none.