| h. |
This being a Scottish copy, and the variations also numerous,
it seems advisable to give the whole text rather than only the
divergent readings. The transcript may be
inferred, from, passages phonetically misrendered,
to have been made from recitation
or reading, more probably from recitation,
since many of the differences from the
printed copies are of the sort which are
made by reciters; that is, immaterial expressions are
imperfectly remembered; and
again, 162 is adopted from popular ballad
phraseology, and, as already observed, the
stanza following 50 is borrowed from 'Adam
Bell.' Cases of writing sound for sense are
43, makes us squails for makes us quail;
73, I quitted all for No whit at all; 482, The
spirit for This pirate; 613, A nobler day for
A noble a day. Verses of 25, 26 have been
interchanged. 8, 93,4, 101,2, 21, 28, 29, 30,
32, 36, 44, 49, 522,3,4, 531 are wanting.
33, 34 are in the right order. It is a little surprising
that a Scottish copy should have Sir Andrew Cross for St. Andrew's
cross, 533. a-d have Sir Andrews Cross.
| 1 |
When Febus, with her fragrant flours,
bedect the earth so trim and gay,
And Neptan, with his denty shours,
came to present the month o May, |
| 2 |
King Hendry would a hunting ride,
and over the river Thames past he,
Unto a mountain-top also
he walkd, some pleasures to espy. |
| 3 |
There fortie merchants he espy'd,
with fiftie sail, come towards him;
No sooner there they were arrived
but on their knees they did complain. |
| 4 |
'My lodge,' said they, 'we cannot sail
to France nor Spain, for to be sure;
Sir Andrew Barton makes us squails,
and berubs (?) us of our merchant-wair.' |
| 5 |
The king was grievd and turnd him,
said to his lords of high degree,
Is there not a lord in my realm
can fetch yon traitor unto me? |
| 6 |
Then out bespoke Lord Charles Howard,
and says, My ludge, with heart and hand,
If that you'l give me leave, said he,
I will perform what you command. |
| 7 |
But out bespoke King Hendrie:
'I fear, my lord, you are too young;'
'I quitted all, my lodge,' said he,
'for I think to prove one valient strong.' |
| 91,2 |
'A hundred men out of my realm
shall for this service chosen be, |
| 103,4 |
And they, at thy command and will,
in all affairs, shall wait on thee.' |
| 11 |
The king calld on a gunner then,
whose age was 'bove three score and ten;
He was the best in that realm,
and Fetter Simon height his name. |
| [A 12] |
'Now Peter,' said he, 'wee'r bound to sea,
to fetch a traitor with good speed,
And over a hundred gunners good
I 've chosen thee to be the head.' |
| [A 13] |
'My lodge,' says he, 'if he have chosen me
oer a hundred men to be the head,
Upon mine mast I hangd shall be,
if I mess twelve score on a shilling breadth.' |
| 12 |
My lord calld on a bow-man then,
whose hands and acts had gained fame;
He was the best in that realm,
and William Horsley height his name. |
| 13 |
'Now Horsley,' says he, 'wee'r bound to sea,
to fetch a traitor wi good speed,
And over a hundred archers good
I 've chosen thee to be the head.' |
| 14 |
'My lord,' sais he, 'if ye hae chosen me
oer a hundred men to be the head,
Upon my mast I hangd shall be,
if I mess twelve score a shilling breadth.' |
| 15 |
Lord Howard he 's gone to the wars,
wi muckle mirth and merrie cheer;
He was not curbd with winters cold,
tho it was the stormy time a year. |
| 16 |
He had not been upon the seas,
no not a day but only three,
Till he espy'd Sir Hendry Hunt,
a merchant of Newcastle he. |
| 17 |
A peice of ordinance was shot,
which straitly charged him to stand;
Demanding of him from whence he came,
and where he was intend to land. |
| 18 |
The merchant he made answer then,
with a heavy heart and carefull mind,
'If it please Your Grace, my ship belongs
unto Newcastle upon Tine.' |
| 19 |
'Canst thou but show me,' said the lord,
'as those did sail by day or night,
A Scotish rubber on the seas,
whose name 's Sir Andrew Burton, knight?' |
| 20 |
The merchant sighd, and said, Alas!
full over well I do him know;
Good keep you frae his tiranie!
for I was his prisoner yesterday. |
| 22 |
And muckle debt, God knows, I owe,
if every man would crave his oun;
But I am bound for London nou,
of our gracious king to beg a bon. |
| 23 |
'Wilt you go with me,' said the lord,
'and once that villain let me see,
For every pennie he 's from thee taen
I double the same wi shillings three.' |
| 24 |
But the merchant sighd, and said, Alas!
I fear, my lord, your aims you miss;
Good keep you frae his tiranie!
for little you ken what a man he is. |
251
262 |
For he 's brass within and steel without,
and his great ship 's mighty hugie high,
So that neither English nor Portugees
can pass Sir Andrew Burton by. |
261
252 |
And he has beams for his top-castle
which is both mighty huge and strong;
He has eighteen peice of ordinance
he carries on each side along. |
| 27 |
'Bad news thou tells,' then said the lord,
'to welcome strangers to the sea;
But as I have said, I'll bring him abord,
or into Scotland he 's carry me.' |
| 31 |
So the merchant set my lord a glass,
that well appeared in his eye,
And the morning, as his promise was,
he did Sir Andrew Burton see. |
| 33 |
'Fetch me my lyon out of hand,
set up our rose on streamers high;
Set up likewise a willie wand,
that merchant like we may pass by.' |
| 34 |
Thus bravely did Lord Howard pass,
upon an anchor rose so high;
No topsail at last he did upcast,
but like a foe did him defie. |
| 35 |
Sir Andrew Barton, seeing him
thus scornfull-like for to pass by,
As tho he cared not a pin
for him and all his company, |
| 37 |
Sir Andrew Barton gave a shott
which did Lord Howard muckle dear;
For it came so hotly in at his deck
killd fifteen of his men a ware. |
| 38 |
My lord calld on o' Fetter Seymore,
says, See thy words does stand in steed;
For upon main-mast thou hangd shall be,
if thou miss twelve score a shilling breed. |
| 39 |
Then Fetter Symore gave a shot
which did Sir Andrew muckle scarr;
It came so hotly in his deck
killd fifty of his men a ware. |
| 40 |
Then 'Out, alas!' Sir Andrew cryes,
'and aye alas, and woe 's me!
This is some lord, I greatly fear,
that is set out to conquer me.' |
| 41 |
Then Hendry Hunt, with rigor hot,
came bravely on the other side;
He shot so hotly in at his deck
killd fiftie of his men beside. |
| 42 |
Then 'Out, alas!' Sir Andrew cryes,
'what can a man now do or say?
This merchant thief it percies me,
he was my prisoner yesterday.' |
| 43 |
Sir Andrew calld on Gordon then,
and bad him to top-castle go
And strive to let his beems doun fall,
for he greatly feard an overthrow. |
| 45 |
Then up mass '-tree then climed he,
that stout and mighty Gordon;
But Horsley soon prevented him,
and shot bun in at collar-bone. |
| 46 |
Sir Andrew calld his nephew then;
says, Sisters son I hi ne mae;
A hundred pounds I'll to thee give
if thou'l up to top-castle gae. |
| 47 |
Then up mast-tree then climed he,
from of the deck for to depart;
But Horsley soon prevented him,
and deadly peirced him to the heart. |
| 48 |
His men being slain, then up amain
the spirit proud did climb wi speed;
Armour of proof he did put on,
and of arrows dint he had nè dread. |
| 50 |
Then up mast-tree then climbed he,
the spirit proud did climb amain;
But Horsley hat him upon the breast,
till his arrow did return again. |
| |
'Foul fa the hands,' says Horsley then,
'this day that did that coat put on!
For had it been as thin as mine,
thy last days had been at an end.' |
| 51 |
But Horsley spy'd a private part,
with a canie hand and secret art,
And his arrows swiftly flew amain,
and pierced Sir Andrew to the heart. |
511
532 |
'Fight on, fight on, my mirrie men all,
and of English rogues stand ye ne aw;
But stand fast by Sir Andrew cross
till that ye hear my whistle bla.' |
| 54 |
But they never heard his whistle bla,
which made them mightyly to dread;
Say Horsley, My lord, we'll go abord,
for now I know Sir Andrew 's dead. |
| 55 |
Then boarded they this great ship then,
with muckle might and a' their main,
And in her was eighteen score o Scots alive,
besides there mony mae were slain. |
| 56 |
My lord went where Sir Andrew lay,
and hastely cut of his head:
* I 'd forsake England this mony a day,
if thou were alive as thou art dead.' |
| 57 |
So Lord Howard he 's come from the wars,
with muckle mirth and triumphing,
And the pirot's head he brought along,
for to present unto their king. |
| 58 |
But out bespoke King Hendry,
before he knew well what was done:
'Bring here to me that villain strong,
that I my sell may give the doom.' |
| 59 |
'Ye may be thankfa,' said the lord,
'at what is done, my ludge,' said he,
'That we 'r returned alive again;
for ye'd never such an enemy. |
| 60 |
'There 's Hendry Hunt, and Fetter Symore,
and William Horsley, and Fetter's son;
Therefore reward them for their pain,
for they did service at their turn.' |
| 61 |
The king he said to Hendry Hunt,
'For every pennie he 's from the tane,
A nobler day I'l to thee give,
and Sir Andrew's whistle and his chain.
|
| 62 |
'A croun a day to Fetter Symore,
and half a croun to Fetter's son;
And that was for the shots they gave,
which bravely brought Sir Andrew doun. |
| 63 |
'Horsley, I'l make of thee a knight,
and in Yorkshire thou shall dwell;
Lord Howard shall Earl Bewry height,
for the tittle he deserves full well. |
| 64 |
'Seven rosenobles to our English men,
which in the feight did stoutly stand,
And twelve pence a day unto the Scots,
till they come to my brother king's land.' |
381. on O'. o' may mean old.
62 follows 63. |
