‘Horsley,’ says he, ‘I must sayle to the sea, To seek out an enemy; God be my speede! Before all others I have chosen thee; Of a hundred bowemen thou’st be my head.’ XVI ‘My lord,’ says he, ‘if you’ve chosen me Of a hundred bowemen to be the head, Hang me at your main-mast tree If I miss my mark past twelve pence bread.’ XVII With pikes, and gunnes, and bowmen bold, This noble Howard is gone to the sea On the day before Midsummer-even, And out at Thames’ mouth saylèd they. XVIII They had not saylèd dayès three Upon their journey they took in hand, But there they met with a noble ship, And stoutely made it both stay and stand. XIX ‘Thou must tell me thy name,’ says Charles my lord Howard, ‘Or who thou art, or from whence thou came, Yea, and where thy dwelling is, To whom and where thy ship does belong.’ XX ‘My name,’ says he, ‘is Henery Hunt, With a pure hart and a penitent mind; I and my ship they doe belong Unto the New-castle that stands upon Tyne.’-- XXI ‘Now thou must tell me, Henery Hunt, As thou hast saylèd by day and by night, Hast thou not heard of a stout robbèr? Men calls him Sir Andrew Barton, Knight.’ XXII But ever he sighèd, and said, ‘Alas! Full well, my lord, I know that wight; He has robb’d me of my merchants-ware, And I was his pris’ner but yesternight. XXIII ‘As I was sayling upon the sea, And a Bourdeaux voyage as I did fare, He claspèd me to his archèborde[1138], And robb’d me of all my merchants-ware. XXIV ‘And I am a man both poor and bare, Every man will have his own of me; And I am bound towards London to fare, To complain unto my prince Henrye. XXV ‘That shall not need,’ says my Lord Howard; ‘If thou canst let me this robber see, For every penny he hath taken thee fro’ Thou shall be rewarded a shilling,’ quoth he. XXVI ‘Now God forfend,’ says Henery Hunt, ‘My lord, you sho’ld work so far amisse! God keep you out of that traitor’s hands! For you wot full little what man he is. XXVII ‘He is brasse within, and steele without, And beams he bears in his topcastle stronge; His ship hath ordinance clean round about; Besides, my lord, he is very well mann’d. XXVIII ‘He hath a pinnace is dearlye dight[1139], Saint Andrew’s cross, that is his guide[1140]; His pinnace bears nine-score men and more, With fifteen cannons on every side. XXIX ‘Were you twenty ships, and he but one, Either in archbord or in hall[1141], He wo’ld overcome you everye one, An if his beams they doe down fall.’ XXX