Edward. who was the XVIIth earl of Oxford, of the family of Vere, fucceeded his father in his title and honours in 156, and died an aged man in 1604. See Mr. Walpole's Noble Authors. Athen. Oxon. Sc. NOME hither fhepherd's fwayne: COM Sir, what do you require ?" I praye thee, fhewe to me thy name. When wert thou borne, Defire? By whom, fweet boy, wert thou begot? Tell me, who was thy nurse? "Fresh Youth in fugred joy." What was thy meate and dayly foode? What hadit thou then to drinke? "Unfavoury lovers teares." What cradle wert thou rocked in? 5 10 15 "In hope devoyde of feares." What lulld thee then asleepe? "Sweete fpeech, which likes me best." N 2 20 What What thing doth please thee moft? Whom dost thou thinke to be thy foe? Doth companye displease? "Yes, furelye, many one.” Where doth Defire delighte to live? "He loves to live alone." Doth either tyme or age Bringe him unto decaye? • "No, no, Defire both lives and dyes Then, ford Defire, farewelle, I cannot give a better relation of the fact, which is the fubject of the following ballad, than in an extract from the late Mr. Guthrie's Peerage; which was begun upon a very elegant plan, but never finished. Vol. I. 4to.p. 22. The "The tranfaction which did the greatest honour to the earl of Surrey and his family at this time [A. D. 1511.] was their behaviour in the cafe of Barton, a Scotch Seaofficer. This gentleman's father having fuffered by fea from the Portuguefe, he had obtained letters of marque for his two fons to make reprisals upon the fubjects of Fortugal. It is extremely probable, that the court of Scotlan granted thefe letters with no very honeft intention. The council board of England, at which the earl of Surrey held the chief place, was daily peftered with complaints from the failors and merchants, that Barton, who was called Sir Andrew Barton, under pretence of fearching for Portuguese goods, interrupted the English navigation. Henry's fituation at that time rendered him backward from breaking with Scotland, fo that their complaints were but coldly received. The earl of Surrey, however, could not fmother his indignation, but gallantly declared at the council board, that while he had an eftate that could furnish out a ship, or a fon that was capable of commanding one, the narrow feas Should not be infefted. "Sir Andrew Barton, who commanded the two Scotch Ships, had the reputation of being one of the ableft fea officers of his time. By his depredations, he had amaffed great wealth, and his ships were very richly laden. Henry, notwithstanding his fituation, could not refufe the generous offer made by the earl of Surrey. Two ships were immediately fitted out, and put to fea with letters of marque, under his two Jons, Sir Thomas † and Sir Edward Howard. After encountering a great deal of foul weather, Sir Thomas came up with the Lion, which was commanded by Sir Andrew Barton in perfon and Sir Edward came up with the Union, Barton's other hip, [called by Hall, the Bark of Scotland.] The engagement which enfued was extremely obftinate on both fides; but at laft the fortune of the Howards prevailed. Sir Andrew was killed fighting bravely, and encouraging his + *Thomas Howard, afterwards created Duke of Norfolk. + Called by old biftorians lord Howard, afterwards created earl of Surrey in his father's life-time. He was father of the poetical E. of Surrey. N 3 men men with his whistle, to hold out to the laft; and the two Scotch fhips with their crews, were carried into the river Thames. [Aug 2, 1511.] "This exploit had the more merit, as the two English commanders were in a manner volunteers in the fervice, by their father's order. But it feems to have laid the foundation of Sir Edward's fortune; for, on the 7th of April 1512, the king conftituted him (according to Dugdale) admiral of England, Wales. Ec 6. King James infifted upon fatisfaction for the death of Barton and capture of his hip: tho' Henry had generously difmiffed the crews, and even agreed that the parties accused might appear in his courts of admiralty by their attornies, to vindicate themselves." This affair was in a great mea fure the cafe of the battle of Flodden, in which James IV. loft his life. IN the following ballad will be found perhaps fome few deviations from the truth of hiftory: to atone for which it has probably recorded many leffer facts, which history bath not condefcended to relate. I take many of the little circumftances of the fory to be real, because I find one of the most unlikely to be not very remote from the truth. In Pt. 2, v. 156, it is faid, that England bad before" but two fhips of war." Now the GREAT HARRY had been built only feven years before, viz in 1504: which was properly Speaking the firft hip in the English navy. Before this period, when "the prince wanted a fleet, he had no other expedient but biring hips from the merchants." Hume. 66 66 This Ballad which appears to have been written in the reign of Elizabeth, has received great improvements from the Editor's folio MS. wherein was an ancient copy, which, though very incorrect, feemed in many refpects fuperior to the common ballad; the latter being evidently modernized and abridged from it. The following text is however in fome places amended and improved by the latter (chiefly from a black-letter copy in the Pepys collection), as also by conjecture. THE 'WH THE FIRST PART. HEN Flora with her fragrant flowers 'Bedeckt the earth so trim and gaye, 'And Neptune with his daintye showers Came to prefent the monthe of Maye *;' King Henrye rode to take the ayre, Over the river of Thames past hee; When eighty merchants of London came, And downe they knelt upon their knee. "O yee are welcome, rich merchants ; Good faylors, welcome unto mee." They fwore by the rood, they were faylors good, But rich merchants they cold not bee: "To France nor Flanders dare we pass: Nor Bourdeaux voyage dare we fare; And all for a rover that lyes on the feas, Who robbs us of our merchant ware." 15 King Henrye frownd, and turned him rounde, And fwore by the Lord, that was mickle of might, "I thought he had not beene in the world, Durft have wrought England fuch unright." 20 The merchants fighed, and faid, alas! And thus they did their aufwer frame, He is a proud Scott, that robbs on the feas, Ver. 15. 83. robber. MS. From the pr. copy. The N 4 |