And mickle debts, God wot, I owe,

And every man will have his own, And I am now to London bound,

Of ourgracious king to beg a boon."

"Thou shalt not need," Lord Howard says;

"Let me but once that robber see, For every penny tane thee fro It

shall be doubled shillings three."

"Now God forfend," the merchant said,

"That you should seek so far amiss!

God keep you out of that traitor's hands!

Full little ye wot what a man he is.

"He is brass within, and steel without,

With beams on his topcastle strong; And eighteen pieces of ordinance He carries on each side along.

I'll fetch yon peddlers back mysell."

When my lord saw Sir Andrew loose, Within his heart he was full fain; "Now spread your ancients, strike up drums,

Sound all your trumpets out amain."

"Fight on, my men," Sir Andrew says,

"Weale, howsoever this gear will sway:

It is my lord admiral of England,

Is come to seek me on the sea." Simon had a son who shot right well, That did Sir Andrew mickle scare; In at his deck he gave a shot,

Killed threescore of his men of war.

Then Henry Hunt, with vigor hot, Came bravely on the other side; Soon he drove down his foremast tree, And killed fourscore men beside. "Now, out alas!" Sir Andrew cried, "What may a man now think or say?

Yonder merchant thief that pierceth

me,

He was my prisoner yesterday.

"Come hither to me, thou Gordon good,

That aye was ready at my cal!;

I will give thee three hundred pounds

If thou wilt let my beams downfall."

Lord Howard he then called in haste, "Horsely, see thou be true in stead;

For thou shalt at the mainmast hang, If thou miss twelvescore one penny bread."

Then Gordon swarved the mainmast tree,

He swarvèd it with might and main;

But Horsely with a bearing arrow Stroke the Gordon through the brain;

And he fell unto the haches again, And sore his deadly wound did bleed:

Then word went through Sir Andrew's men,

How that the Gordon he was dead.