‘This is cold comfort,’ says my Lord Howard, ‘To welcome a stranger thus to the sea; I’le bring him and his ship to shore, Or else into Scotland he shall carry me.’ XXXI ‘Then, my lord, you must get a noble gunner; One that can set well with his e’e, And sink his pinnace into the sea, And soon then overcome will he be. XXXII ‘And when that you have done all this, If you chance Sir Andrew for to board, Let no man to his topcastle go; And I will give you a glass[1142], my lord, XXXIII ‘And then you need to fear no Scot, Whether you sayle by day or by night; And to-morrow, by seven of the clocke, You shall meete with Sir Andrew Barton, Knight.’ XXXIV The merchant set Lord Howard a glass So well apparent in his sight That on the morrow by seven of the clock He spy’d Sir Andrew Barton, Knight. XXXV Lord Howard he swore a mighty oath When he saw his hache-bords dearly dight; ‘Now by my faith and by my troth, Yonder proud Scott is a worthy wight. XXXVI ‘Take in your ancients[1143] and your standards, Yea, that no man shall them see, And put me forth a white willow wand, As merchants use to sayle the sea.’ XXXVII But they stirr’d[1144] neither top nor mast, But Sir Andrew they passèd by.-- ‘What English are yonder,’ said Sir Andrew, ‘That can[1145] so little curtesye? XXXVIII ‘I have been admiral over the sea [Methinketh] more then these yeeres three; There is never an English nor Portingall dog, Can pass this way without leave of me. XXXIX ‘But now yonder pedlars, they are pass’d, Which is no little grief to me: Fetch them backe,’ sayes Sir Andrew Barton, ‘They shall all hang at my maine-mast tree.’ XL With that the pinnace it shot off, That my Lord Howard might it well ken; It strokè down my lord’s fore-màst, And kill’d fourteen of my lord his men. XLI ‘Come hither, Simon!’ says my Lord Howard, ‘Look that thy words be true thou said; I’le hang thee at my maine-mast tree If thou miss thy mark past three pence bread.’ XLII Simon was old, but his hart it was bold; He tooke downe a piece, and laid it full low; Chaine yeards nine he put therein, Besides other great shot less and moe. XLIII With that he let his gun-shot go; So well he settled it with his e’e, The first sight that Sir Andrew saw, He saw his pinnace sunk in the sea. XLIV When Sir Andrew saw his pinnace sunk, Lord! in his heart he was not well! ‘Cut my ropes! it is time to be gone! I’le goe fetch yond pedlars back mysell!’ XLV