Ballads of Robin Hood and other Outlaws Part 43

'Then you must get a n.o.ble gunner, my lord, That can set well with his eye, And sink his pinnace into the sea, And soon then overcome will he be.

32.

'And when that you have done this, If you chance Sir Andrew for to board, Let no man to his top-castle go; And I will give you a gla.s.s, my lord,

33.

'And then you need to fear no Scot, Whether you sail by day or by night; And to-morrow, by seven of the clock, You shall meet with Sir Andrew Barton, knight.

34.

'I was his prisoner but yesternight, And he hath taken me sworn,' quoth he; 'I trust my Lord G.o.d will me forgive And if that oath then broken be.

35.

'You must lend me six pieces, my lord,' quoth he, 'Into my ship, to sail the sea, And to-morrow, by nine of the clock, Your honour again then will I see.'

36.

And the hatch-board where Sir Andrew lay Is hatched with gold dearly dight: 'Now by my faith,' says Charles, my lord Howard, 'Then yonder Scot is a worthy wight!

37.

'Take in your ancients and your standards, Yea, that no man shall them see, And put me forth a white willow wand.

As merchants use to sail the sea.'

38.

But they stirred neither top nor mast, But Sir Andrew they pa.s.sed by.

'What English are yonder,' said Sir Andrew, 'That can so little courtesy?

39.

'I have been admiral over the sea More than these years three; There is never an English dog, nor Portingale, Can pa.s.s this way without leave of me.

40.

'But now yonder pedlars they are past, Which is no little grief to me; Fetch them back,' says Sir Andrew Barton, 'They shall all hang at my mainmast tree.'

41.

With that the pinnace it shot off, That my lord Howard might it well ken; It struck down my lord's foremast, And killed fourteen of my lord his men.

42.

'Come hither, Simon,' says my lord Howard, 'Look that thy words be true thou said; I'll hang thee at my mainmast tree If thou miss thy mark past twelve pence bread.'

43.

Simon was old, but his heart it was bold; He took down a piece, and laid it full low; He put in chain yards nine, Besides other great shot less and moe.

44.

With that he let his gunshot go; So well he settled it with his eye, The first sight that Sir Andrew saw, He saw his pinnace sunk in the sea.

45.

When he saw his pinnace sunk, Lord! in his heart he was not well.

'Cut my ropes, it is time to be gone; I'll go fetch yond pedlars back myself!'

46.

When my lord Howard saw Sir Andrew loose, Lord! in his heart that he was fain.

'Strike on your drums, spread out your ancients; Sound out your trumpets, sound out amain!'

47.

'Fight on, my men,' says Sir Andrew Barton, 'Weet, howsoever this gear will sway, It is my lord Admiral of England Is come to seek me on the sea.'

48.

Simon had a son; with shot of a gun, Well Sir Andrew might it ken, He shot it at a privy place, And killed sixty more of Sir Andrew's men.

49.

Harry Hunt came in at the other side, And at Sir Andrew he shot then; He drove down his foremast tree, And killed eighty more of Sir Andrew's men.

50.

'I have done a good turn,' says Harry Hunt, 'Sir Andrew is not our king's friend; He hoped to have undone me yesternight, But I hope I have quit him well in the end.'

51.

'Ever alas!' said Sir Andrew Barton, 'What should a man either think or say?

Yonder false thief is my strongest enemy, Who was my prisoner but yesterday.

52.

'Come hither to me, thou Gordon good, And be thou ready at my call, And I will give thee three hundred pound If thou wilt let my beams down fall.'

53.

With that he swarved the mainmast tree, So did he it with might and main; Horsley, with a bearing arrow, Strake the Gordon through the brain.

54.

And he fell into the hatches again, And sore of this wound that he did bleed; Then word went through Sir Andrew's men That the Gordon he was dead.

55.

'Come hither to me, James Hamilton, Thou art my sister's son, I have no more; I will give thee six hundred pound If thou will let my beams down fall.'

56.

With that he swarved the mainmast tree, So did he it with might and main; Horsley, with another broad arrow, Strake the yeoman through the brain.

57.

That he fell down to the hatches again; Sore of his wound that he did bleed.

Covetousness gets no gain, It is very true as the Welshman said.

58.

But when he saw his sister's son slain, Lord! in his heart he was not well.

'Go fetch me down my armour of proof, For I will to the top-castle myself.

59.

'Go fetch me down my armour of proof, For it is gilded with gold so clear; G.o.d be with my brother, John of Barton!

Amongst the Portingales he did it wear.'

60.

But when he had his armour of proof, And on his body he had it on, Every man that looked at him Said, gun nor arrow he need fear none.

61.

'Come hither, Horsley,' says my lord Howard, 'And look your shaft that it go right; Shoot a good shoot in the time of need, And for thy shooting thou'st be made a knight.'