With "howe! hissa!" then they cry, "What, howte! mate, thow stondyst to ny, Thy felow may nat hale the by;" Thus they begyn to crake. A boy or tweyne anone up-styen, "Bestowe the boote, bote-swayne, anon, "Hale the bowelyne! now, vere the shete!— Cooke, make redy anoone our mete, Our pylgryms have no lust to ete, I pray God yeve him rest." "Go to the helm! what, howe! no nere? Steward, felow! a pot of bere!" "Ye shall have, sir, with good chere, Anone all of the best." "Y howe! trussa! hale in the brayles! "Hale in the wartake!" "Hit shall be done." "Steward! cover the boorde anone, And set bred and salt thereone, And tarry nat to long." Then cometh oone and seyth, "be mery; "Holde thow thy pese! thow canst no whery, Thow medlyst wondyr sore." Thys menewhyle the pylgryms ly, And have theyr bowlys fast theym by, And cry afthyr hote malvesy, "Thow helpe for to restore." And som wold have a saltyd tost, For they myght ete neyther sode ne rost; Som layde theyr bookys on theyr kne, Then commeth owre owner lyke a lorde, Anone he calleth a carpentere, And biddyth hym bryng with hym hys gere, With many a febyl cell. A sak of strawe were there ryght good, Without mete or drynk. For when that we shall go to bedde, The A man were as good to be dede, As smell thereof the stynk. A TRUE RELATION OF THE LIFE AND DEATH OF SIR ANDREW BARTON, A PYRATE AND ROVER ON THE SEAS. THE present text of the following ballad, which has been printed by Percy and others, is taken from an original black-letter copy preserved in the British Museum. It will be seen that the several versions vary considerably from each other. Tune-"Come, follow my love," &c. WHEN Flora with her fragrant flowers King Henry would a hunting ride, over the river Thames passed he, Unto a mountain-top also did walk, some pleasure for to see: Where forty merchants he espy'd, with fifthy sail came towards him, Who then no sooner were arriv'd, 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." Vext was the King, and turning him, "I will, my liege, with heart and hand; If it will please you grant me leave," he said, "I will perform what you command." To him then spoke 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: Bow-men 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 call'd a gunner then, and William Horsely was his name. "Horsely," quoth he, "I must to sea of a hundred men to be the head, Upon the main mast I'll hanged be, if twelve score I miss one shilling's breadth." Lord Howard then of courage bold, went to the sea with pleasant cheer, Not curb'd with winter's piercing cold, tho' it was the stormy time of year; |