For every clowne laughs me to scorne, And they by me set nought at all ; If I had them in Plompton park, I would set as little by them all.
They pluckt up anchor, and away did sayle, More of a day then two or three : But Simon espyed a ship of warre, That sayled towards them most valorously.
O woe is me ! said the master then, This day that ever I was borne ! For all our fish we have got to day, Is every bit lost and forlorne.
For your French robbers on the sea, They will not spare of us one man, But carry us to the coast of France, And ligge us in the prison strong.
But Simon said, Doe not feare them, Neither, mastèr, take you no care ; Give me my bent bow in my hand, And never a Frenchman will I spare.
“Hold thy peace, thou long lubbèr, For thou art nought but brags and boast ; If I should cast thee over-board, There’s but a simple lubber lost.” { 266}
Simon grew angry at these words, And so angry then was he, That he took his bent bow in his hand, And in the ship-hatch goe doth he.
Master, tye me to the mast, saith he, That at my mark I may stand fair, And give me my bent bow in my hand, And never a Frenchman will I spare.
He drew his arrow to the very head, And drew it with all might and maine, And straightway in the twinkling of an eye, ‘To’ the Frenchmans heart the ‘arrow’s gane.’[316]
The Frenchman fell down on the ship-hatch, And under the hatches ‘there’ below ; Another Frenchman, that him espy’d, The dead corpse into the sea doth throw.
O master, loose me from the mast, he said, And for them all take you no care ; For give me my bent bow in my hand, And never a Frenchman will I spare.
Then streight [they] boarded the French ship, They lyeing all dead in their sight ; They found within ‘that’ ship of warre, Twelve thousand pound of mony bright. { 267}
The one halfe of the ship, said Simon then, Ile give to my dame and [her] children small ; The other halfe of the ship Ile bestow On you that are my fellowes all.
But now bespake the master then, For so, Simon, it shall not be, For you have won it with your own hand, And the owner of it you shall bee.
“It shall be so, as I have said ; And, with this gold, for the opprest An habitation I will build, Where they shall live in peace and rest.”