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+*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 41044 ***
+
+Transcriber's Notes
+
+Archaic, dialect and inconsistent spellings and hyphenation have been
+retained as in the original. Minor corrections to format and punctuation
+together with regularisation of poetry line numbering have been made
+without comment. Any other changes to the text have been listed at the
+end of the book.
+
+In this Plain Text version of the e-book, symbols from the ASCII
+character set only are used. Other characters and symbols are
+substituted as follows:
+
+ [OE], [oe] for upper and lower case oe-ligature respectively
+ [=u] for u with macron.
+
+ Italic typeface is indicated by _underscores_.
+ Small caps typeface is represented by UPPER CASE.
+ A pointing hand symbol is represented as [right pointing hand].
+
+Notes with reference to ballad line numbers are presented at the end of
+each ballad. The presence of a note is indicated at the end of line
+number ## by "[L##]".
+
+ * * * * *
+
+
+
+
+ ENGLISH AND SCOTTISH BALLADS.
+
+ EDITED BY
+ FRANCIS JAMES CHILD.
+
+ VOLUME VII.
+
+ BOSTON:
+ LITTLE, BROWN AND COMPANY.
+ M.DCCC.LX.
+
+Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1858, by LITTLE,
+BROWN AND COMPANY, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the
+District of Massachusetts.
+
+ RIVERSIDE, CAMBRIDGE:
+ STEREOTYPED AND PRINTED BY
+ H. O. HOUGHTON AND COMPANY.
+
+
+
+
+CONTENTS OF VOLUME SEVENTH.
+
+BOOK VII. (Continued.)
+
+
+ Page
+
+ 4 a. The Battle of Otterbourne [Percy] 3
+
+ 4 b. The Battle of Otterbourne [Scott] 19
+
+ 5 a. The Hunting of the Cheviot 25
+
+ 5 b. Chevy-Chace 43
+
+ 6. Sir Andrew Barton 55
+
+ 7. Flodden Field 71
+
+ 8 a. Queen Jeanie 74
+
+ 8 b. The Death of Queen Jane 77
+
+ 9. The Murder of the King of Scots 78
+
+ 10. The Rising in the North 82
+
+ 11. Northumberland betrayed by Douglas 92
+
+ 12. King of Scots and Andrew Browne 103
+
+ 13. Mary Ambree 108
+
+ 14. Brave Lord Willoughbey 114
+
+ 15 a. The Bonny Earl of Murray [Ramsay] 119
+
+ 15 b. The Bonnie Earl of Murray [Finlay] 121
+
+ 16. The Winning of Cales 123
+
+ 17. Sir John Suckling's Campaign 128
+
+ 18. The Battle of Philiphaugh 131
+
+ 19. The Gallant Grahams 137
+
+ 20. The Battle of Loudon Hill 144
+
+ 21. The Battle of Bothwell Bridge 148
+
+ 22. The Battle of Killiecrankie 152
+
+ 23. The Battle of Sheriff-Muir 156
+
+ 24. Lord Derwentwater 164
+
+ 25. The Battle of Tranent-Muir, or of Preston-Pans 167
+
+
+ APPENDIX.
+
+ The Battle of Otterburn 177
+
+ The Battle of Harlaw 180
+
+ King Henrie the Fifth's Conquest 190
+
+ Jane Shore 194
+
+ Sir Andrew Barton 201
+
+ The Battle of Corichie 210
+
+ The Battle of Balrinnes (or Glenlivet) 214
+
+ Bonny John Seton 230
+
+ The Haws of Cromdale 234
+
+ The Battle of Alford 238
+
+ The Battle of Pentland Hills 240
+
+ The Reading Skirmish 243
+
+ Undaunted Londonderry 247
+
+ Pr[oe]lium Gillicrankianum 251
+
+ The Boyne Water 253
+
+ The Woman Warrior 257
+
+ The Battle of Sheriff-Muir 260
+
+ Up and war them a', Willie 264
+
+ The Marquis of Huntley's Retreat 267
+
+ Johnie Cope 274
+
+ King Leir and his three Daughters 276
+
+ Fair Rosamond 283
+
+ Queen Eleanor's Fall 292
+
+ The Duchess of Suffolk's Calamity 299
+
+ The Life and Death of Thomas Stukely 306
+
+ Lord Delaware 314
+
+ The Battle of Harlaw (Traditional version) 317
+
+
+ GLOSSARY 321
+
+
+
+
+BOOK VII.
+
+CONTINUED.
+
+
+
+
+THE BATTLE OF OTTERBOURNE.
+
+
+In the twelfth year of Richard II. (1388,) the Scots assembled an
+extensive army, with the intention of invading England on a grand
+scale, in revenge for a previous incursion made by that sovereign. But
+information having been received that the Northumbrians were gathering
+in considerable force for a counter-invasion, it was thought prudent
+not to attempt to carry out the original enterprise. While, therefore,
+the main body of the army, commanded by the Earl of Fife, the Scottish
+king's second son, ravaged the western borders of England, a
+detachment of three or four thousand chosen men, under the Earl of
+Douglas, penetrated by a swift march into the Bishopric of Durham, and
+laid waste the country with fire and sword. Returning in triumph from
+this inroad, Douglas passed insultingly before the gates of Newcastle,
+where Sir Harry Percy lay in garrison. This fiery warrior, though he
+could not venture to cope with forces far superior to his own, sallied
+out to break a lance with his hereditary foe. In a skirmish before the
+town he lost his spear and pennon, which Douglas swore he would plant
+as a trophy on the highest tower of his castle, unless it should be
+that very night retaken by the owner. Hotspur was deterred from
+accepting this challenge immediately, by the apprehension that Douglas
+would be able to effect a union with the main body of the Scottish
+army before he could be overtaken, but when he learned, the second
+day, that the Earl was retreating with ostentatious slowness, he
+hastily got together a company of eight or ten thousand men, and set
+forth in pursuit.
+
+The English forces, under the command of Hotspur and his brother, Sir
+Ralph Percy, came up with the Scots at Otterbourne, a small village
+about thirty miles from Newcastle, on the evening of the 15th of
+August. Their numbers were more than double the Scots, but they were
+fatigued with a long march. Percy fell at once on the camp of Douglas,
+and a desperate action ensued. The victory seemed to be inclining to
+the English, when the Scottish leader, as the last means of
+reanimating his followers, rushed on the advancing enemy with heroic
+daring, and cleared a way with his battle-axe into the middle of their
+ranks. All but alone and unsupported, Douglas was overpowered by
+numbers, and sunk beneath three mortal wounds. The Scots, encouraged
+by the furious charge of their chieftain, and ignorant of his fate,
+renewed the struggle with vigor. Ralph Percy was made prisoner by the
+Earl Mareschal, and soon after Hotspur himself by Lord Montgomery.
+Many other Englishmen of rank had the same fate. After a long fight,
+maintained with extraordinary bravery on both sides, the English
+retired and left the Scots masters of the field. (See Sir W. Scott's
+_History of Scotland_, i. 225.)
+
+The ballad which follows, printed from the fourth or revised edition
+of Percy's _Reliques_ (vol. i. p. 21), was derived from a manuscript
+in the Cotton library (Cleopatra, c. iv. fol. 64), thought to be
+written about the middle of the sixteenth century. In the earlier
+editions, a less perfect copy, from the Harleian collection, had been
+used. Hume of Godscroft, speaking of the songs made on the battle of
+Otterbourne, says, "the Scots song made of Otterbourne telleth the
+time--about Lammas; and also the occasion--to take preys out of
+England; also the dividing armies betwixt the Earls of Fife and
+Douglas, and their several journeys, almost as in the authentic
+history," and proceeds to quote the first stanza of the present
+ballad. Again, it is said that at Lammas, when the Scotch husbandmen
+are busy at getting in their hay, the season has been over for a month
+in most parts of England. From these circumstances, and the occurrence
+of certain Scottish words, the first part of _The Battle of
+Otterbourne_ has been regarded as a Scottish composition, retouched by
+an English hand.
+
+A somewhat mutilated version of this ballad was published in Herd's
+_Scottish Songs_. This, though defective, well deserves a place in our
+Appendix. Sir Walter Scott inserted in the _Minstrelsy_ another
+edition made up by him from two copies obtained from the recitation of
+old persons residing in Ettrick Forest, and it is here subjoined to
+Percy's version.
+
+Genealogical notices of the personages mentioned in this and the
+following ballad will be found in Percy's _Reliques_ and in Scott's
+_Minstrelsy_.
+
+
+ Yt felle abowght the Lamasse tyde,
+ Whan husbonds wynn ther haye,
+ The dowghtye Dowglasse bowynd hym to ryde,
+ In Ynglond to take a praye.
+
+ The yerlle of Fyffe, withowghten stryffe, 5
+ He bowynd hym over Sulway:[L6]
+ The grete wolde ever together ryde;
+ That race they may rue for aye.
+
+ Over Ottercap hyll they came in,[L9]
+ And so dowyn by Rodelyffe cragge, 10
+ Upon Grene Leyton they lyghted dowyn,
+ Styrande many a stagge;[L12]
+
+ And boldely brent Northomberlonde,
+ And haryed many a towyn;
+ They dyd owr Ynglyssh men grete wrange, 15
+ To battell that were not bowyn.
+
+ Than spake a berne upon the bent,
+ Of comforte that was not colde,
+ And sayd, "We have brent Northomberlond,
+ We have all welth in holde. 20
+
+ "Now we have haryed all Bamboroweshyre,
+ All the welth in the worlde have wee;
+ I rede we ryde to Newe Castell,
+ So styll and stalwurthlye."
+
+ Uppon the morowe, when it was daye, 25
+ The standards schone fulle bryght;
+ To the Newe Castelle the toke the waye,
+ And thether they cam fulle ryght.
+
+ Sir Henry Percy laye at the Newe Castelle,
+ I telle yow withowtten drede; 30
+ He had byn a march-man all hys dayes,
+ And kepte Barwyke upon Twede.
+
+ To the Newe Castell when they cam,
+ The Skottes they cryde on hyght,
+ "Syr Harye Percy, and thow byste within, 35
+ Com to the fylde, and fyght:
+
+ "For we have brente Northomberlonde,
+ Thy eritage good and ryght;
+ And syne my logeyng I have take,
+ With my brande dubbyd many a knyght." 40
+
+ Sir Harry Percy cam to the walles,
+ The Skottyssh oste for to se;
+ "And thow hast brente Northomberlond,
+ Full sore it rewyth me.
+
+ "Yf thou hast haryed all Bambarowe shyre, 45
+ Thow hast done me grete envye;
+ For the trespasse thow hast me done,
+ The tone of us schall dye."
+
+ "Where schall I byde the?" sayd the Dowglas,
+ "Or where wylte thow come to me?" 50
+ "At Otterborne in the hygh way,
+ Ther maist thow well logeed be.
+
+ "The roo full rekeles ther sche rinnes,
+ To make the game and glee;
+ The fawkon and the fesaunt both, 55
+ Amonge the holtes on hye.
+
+ "Ther maist thow have thy welth at wyll,
+ "Well looged ther maist be;
+ Yt schall not be long or I com the tyll,"
+ Sayd Syr Harry Percye. 60
+
+ "Ther schall I byde the," sayd the Dowglas,
+ "By the fayth of my bodye:"
+ "Thether schall I com," sayd Syr Harry Percy
+ "My trowth I plyght to the."
+
+ A pype of wyne he gave them over the walles, 65
+ For soth, as I yow saye;
+ Ther he mayd the Douglas drynke,
+ And all hys oste that daye.
+
+ The Dowglas turnyd hym homewarde agayne,
+ For soth withowghten naye; 70
+ He tooke his logeyng at Oterborne
+ Uppon a Wedynsday.
+
+ And there he pyght hys standerd dowyn,
+ Hys gettyng more and lesse,
+ And syne he warned hys men to goo 75
+ To chose ther geldyngs gresse.
+
+ A Skottysshe knyght hoved upon the bent,[L77]
+ A wache I dare well saye;
+ So was he ware on the noble Percy
+ In the dawnynge of the daye. 80
+
+ He prycked to his pavyleon dore,
+ As faste as he myght ronne;
+ "Awaken, Dowglas," cryed the knyght,
+ "For hys love, that syttes yn trone.
+
+ "Awaken, Dowglas," cryed the knyght, 85
+ "For thow maiste waken wyth wynne;
+ Yender have I spyed the prowde Percy,
+ And seven standardes wyth hym."
+
+ "Nay by my trowth," the Douglas sayed,
+ "It ys but a fayned taylle; 90
+ He durste not loke on my bred banner,
+ For all Ynglonde so haylle.
+
+ "Was I not yesterdaye at the Newe Castell,
+ That stonds so fayre on Tyne?
+ For all the men the Percy hade, 95
+ He cowde not garre me ones to dyne."
+
+ He stepped owt at hys pavelyon dore,
+ To loke and it were lesse;
+ "Araye yow, lordyngs, one and all,
+ For here bygynnes no peysse. 100
+
+ "The yerle of Mentayne, thow art my eme,[L101]
+ The forwarde I gyve to the:
+ The yerlle of Huntlay cawte and kene,[L103]
+ He schall wyth the be.
+
+ "The lorde of Bowghan, in armure bryght,[L105] 105
+ On the other hand he schall be;
+ Lord Jhonstone and Lorde Maxwell,
+ They to schall be wyth me.
+
+ "Swynton, fayre fylde upon your pryde!
+ To batell make yow bowen, 110
+ Syr Davy Scotte, Syr Walter Stewarde,
+ Syr Jhon of Agurstone!"
+
+6. i. e. over Solway frith. This evidently refers to the other
+division of the Scottish army, which came in by way of
+Carlisle.--PERCY.
+
+9-11. sc. the Earl of Douglas and his party.--The several stations
+here mentioned are well-known places in Northumberland. Ottercap-hill
+is in the parish of Kirk-Whelpington, in Tynedale-ward.
+Rodeliffe--(or, as it is more usually pronounced, Rodeley--) Cragge is
+a noted cliff near Rodeley, a small village in the parish of Hartburn,
+in Morpeth-ward. Green Leyton is another small village in the same
+parish of Hartburn, and is southeast of Rodeley. Both the original
+MSS. read here, corruptly, Hoppertop and Lynton.--P.
+
+12. Many a styrande stage, in both MSS. Motherwell would retain this
+reading, because stagge signifies in Scotland a young stallion, and by
+supplying "off" the line would make sense. It was one of the Border
+laws, he remarks, that the Scottish array of battle should be on foot
+(see v. 15 of the Second Part). Horses were used but for a retreat or
+pursuit.
+
+77. the best bent, MS.
+
+101. The Earl of Menteith. At the time of the battle the earldom of
+Menteith was possessed by Robert Earl of Fife, who was in command of
+the main body of the army, and consequently not with Douglas.
+
+103. The reference is to Sir John Gordon. The use of this designation
+shows, says Percy, that the ballad was not composed before 1449. In
+that year the title of Earl of Huntly was first conferred on Alexander
+Seaton, who married the grand-daughter of the Gordon of Otterbourne.
+
+105. The Earl of Buchan, fourth son of King Robert II.
+
+
+A FYTTE.
+
+[THE SECOND PART.]
+
+ The Perssy came byfore hys oste,
+ Wych was ever a gentyll knyght;
+ Upon the Dowglas lowde can he crye,
+ "I wyll holde that I have hyght.
+
+ "For thow haste brente Northumberlonde, 5
+ And done me grete envye;
+ For thys trespasse thou hast me done,
+ The tone of us schall dye."
+
+ The Dowglas answerde hym agayne
+ With grete wurds up on hye, 10
+ And sayd, "I have twenty agaynst the one,
+ Byholde, and thow maiste see."
+
+ Wyth that the Percye was grevyd sore,
+ For sothe as I yow saye;
+ He lyghted dowyn upon his fote, 15
+ And schoote his horsse clene away.
+
+ Every man sawe that he dyd soo,
+ That ryall was ever in rowght;
+ Every man schoote hys horsse him froo,
+ And lyght hym rowynde abowght. 20
+
+ Thus Syr Hary Percye toke the fylde,
+ For soth, as I yow saye;
+ Jesu Cryste in hevyn on hyght
+ Dyd helpe hym well that daye.
+
+ But nyne thowzand, ther was no moo, 25
+ The cronykle wyll not layne;
+ Forty thowsande Skottes and fowre
+ That day fowght them agayne.
+
+ But when the batell byganne to joyne,
+ In hast ther came a knyght; 30
+ 'Then' letters fayre furth hath he tayne,
+ And thus he sayd full ryght:
+
+ "My lorde, your father he gretes yow well,
+ Wyth many a noble knyght;
+ He desyres yow to byde 35
+ That he may see thys fyght.
+
+ "The Baron of Grastoke ys com owt of the west,
+ With him a noble companye;
+ All they loge at your fathers thys nyght,
+ And the battell fayne wold they see. 40
+
+ "For Jesus love," sayd Syr Harye Percy,
+ "That dyed for yow and me,
+ Wende to my lorde my father agayne,
+ And saye thou saw me not with yee.
+
+ "My trowth ys plyght to yonne Skottysh knyght, 45
+ It nedes me not to layne,
+ That I schulde byde hym upon thys bent,
+ And I have hys trowth agayne.
+
+ "And if that I wende off thys grownde,
+ For soth, unfoughten awaye, 50
+ He wolde me call but a kowarde knyght
+ In hys londe another daye.
+
+ "Yet had I lever to be rynde and rente,
+ By Mary, that mykel maye,
+ Then ever my manhod schulde be reprovyd 55
+ Wyth a Skotte another daye.
+
+ "Wherefore schote, archars, for my sake,
+ And let scharpe arowes flee;
+ Mynstrells, play up for your waryson,
+ And well quyt it schall be. 60
+
+ "Every man thynke on hys trewe love,
+ And marke hym to the Trenite;
+ For to God I make myne avowe
+ Thys day wyll I not fle."
+
+ The blodye harte in the Dowglas armes, 65
+ Hys standerde stode on hye;
+ That every man myght full well knowe;
+ By syde stode starres thre.
+
+ The whyte lyon on the Ynglysh parte,
+ Forsoth, as I yow sayne, 70
+ The lucetts and the cressawnts both;
+ The Skotts faught them agayne.
+
+ Uppon Sent Andrewe lowde cane they crye,
+ And thrysse they schowte on hyght,
+ And syne marked them one owr Ynglysshe men, 75
+ As I have tolde yow ryght.
+
+ Sent George the bryght, owr ladyes knyght,
+ To name they were full fayne;
+ Owr Ynglysshe men they cryde on hyght,
+ And thrysse the schowtte agayne. 80
+
+ Wyth that, scharpe arowes bygan to flee,
+ I tell yow in sertayne;
+ Men of armes byganne to joyne,
+ Many a dowghty man was ther slayne.
+
+ The Percy and the Dowglas mette, 85
+ That ether of other was fayne;
+ They schapped together, whyll that the swette,
+ With swords of fyne collayne;
+
+ Tyll the bloode from ther bassonnetts ranne,
+ As the roke doth in the rayne; 90
+ "Yelde the to me," sayd the Dowglas,
+ "Or ells thow schalt be slayne.
+
+ "For I see by thy bryght bassonet,
+ Thow art sum man of myght;
+ And so I do by thy burnysshed brande; 95
+ Thow art an yerle, or ells a knyght."[L96]
+
+ "By my good faythe," sayd the noble Percy,
+ "Now haste thou rede full ryght;
+ Yet wyll I never yelde me to the,
+ Whyll I may stonde and fyght." 100
+
+ They swapped together, whyll that they swette,
+ Wyth swordes scharpe and long;
+ Ych on other so faste they beette,
+ Tyll ther helmes cam in peyses dowyn.
+
+ The Percy was a man of strenghth, 105
+ I tell yow in thys stounde;
+ He smote the Dowglas at the swordes length,
+ That he felle to the growynde.
+
+ The sworde was scharpe, and sore can byte,
+ I tell yow in sertayne; 110
+ To the harte he cowde hym smyte,
+ Thus was the Dowglas slayne.
+
+ The stonderds stode styll on eke syde,
+ With many a grevous grone;
+ Ther the fowght the day, and all the nyght, 115
+ And many a dowghty man was slayne.
+
+ Ther was no freke that ther wolde flye,
+ But styffly in stowre can stond,
+ Ychone hewyng on other whyll they myght drye,
+ Wyth many a bayllefull bronde. 120
+
+ Ther was slayne upon the Skottes syde,
+ For soth and sertenly,
+ Syr James a Dowglas ther was slayne,
+ That daye that he cowde dye.
+
+ The yerle of Mentaye he was slayne, 125
+ Grysely groned uppon the growynd;
+ Syr Davy Scotte, Syr Walter Steward,
+ Syr John of Agurstonne.[L128]
+
+ Syr Charlles Morrey in that place,
+ That never a fote wold flye; 130
+ Sir Hughe Maxwelle, a lorde he was,
+ With the Dowglas dyd he dye.
+
+ Ther was slayne upon the Skottes syde,
+ For soth as I yow saye,
+ Of fowre and forty thowsande Scotts 135
+ Went but eyghtene awaye.
+
+ Ther was slayne upon the Ynglysshe syde,
+ For soth and sertenlye,
+ A gentell knyght, Sir John Fitz-hughe,
+ Yt was the more petye. 140
+
+ Syr James Harebotell ther was slayne,
+ For hym ther hartes were sore;
+ The gentyll Lovelle ther was slayne,[L143]
+ That the Percyes standerd bore.
+
+ Ther was slayne uppon the Ynglyssh perte, 145
+ For soth as I yow saye,
+ Of nyne thowsand Ynglyssh men
+ Fyve hondert cam awaye.
+
+ The other were slayne in the fylde;
+ Cryste kepe their sowles from wo! 150
+ Seying ther was so few fryndes
+ Agaynst so many a foo.
+
+ Then one the morne they mayd them beeres
+ Of byrch, and haysell graye;
+ Many a wydowe with wepyng teyres 155
+ Ther makes they fette awaye.
+
+ Thys fraye bygan at Otterborne,
+ Bytwene the nyghte and the day:
+ Ther the Dowglas lost hys lyfe,
+ And the Percy was lede awaye. 160
+
+ Then was ther a Scottyshe prisoner tayne,
+ Syr Hughe Mongomery was hys name;[L162]
+ For soth as I yow saye,
+ He borowed the Percy home agayne.
+
+ Now let us all for the Percy praye 165
+ To Jesu most of myght,
+ To bryng hys sowle to the blysse of heven,
+ For he was a gentyll knyght.
+
+96. Being all in armour he could not know him.--P.
+
+128. Both the MSS. read here _Sir James_, but see above, Pt. I. ver.
+112.--P.
+
+143. Covelle, MS.
+
+162. Supposed to be son of Lord John Montgomery, who took Hotspur
+prisoner. In _The Hunting of the Cheviot_ this Sir Hugh is said to
+have been slain with an arrow.
+
+
+
+
+THE BATTLE OF OTTERBOURNE.
+
+
+From _Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border_, i. 354. In the _Complaynt of
+Scotland_ (1548), "The Persee and the Mongumrye met," (v. 117 of this
+piece,) occurs as the title, or rather the catchword, of one of the
+popular songs of the time.
+
+
+ It fell about the Lammas tide,
+ When the muir-men win their hay,
+ The doughty Douglas bound him to ride
+ Into England, to drive a prey.
+
+ He chose the Gordons and the Græmes, 5
+ With them the Lindesays, light and gay;[L6]
+ But the Jardines wald not with him ride,[L7]
+ And they rue it to this day.
+
+ And he has burn'd the dales of Tyne,
+ And part of Bambroughshire; 10
+ And three good towers on Reidswire fells,
+ He left them all on fire.
+
+ And he march'd up to Newcastle,
+ And rode it round about;
+ "O wha's the lord of this castle, 15
+ Or wha's the lady o't?"
+
+ But up spake proud Lord Percy then,
+ And O but he spake hie!
+ "I am the lord of this castle,
+ My wife's the lady gay." 20
+
+ "If thou'rt the lord of this castle,
+ Sae weel it pleases me!
+ For, ere I cross the Border fells,
+ The tane of us shall die."
+
+ He took a lang spear in his hand, 25
+ Shod with the metal free,
+ And for to meet the Douglas there,
+ He rode right furiouslie.
+
+ But O how pale his lady look'd,
+ Frae aff the castle wa', 30
+ When down before the Scottish spear
+ She saw proud Percy fa'.
+
+ "Had we twa been upon the green,
+ And never an eye to see,
+ I wad hae had you, flesh and fell;[L35] 35
+ But your sword sall gae wi' me."
+
+ "But gae ye up to Otterbourne,
+ And wait there dayis three;
+ And if I come not ere three dayis end,
+ A fause knight ca' ye me." 40
+
+ "The Otterbourne's a bonnie burn;
+ 'Tis pleasant there to be;
+ But there is nought at Otterbourne,
+ To feed my men and me.
+
+ "The deer rins wild on hill and dale, 45
+ The birds fly wild from tree to tree;
+ But there is neither bread nor kale,
+ To fend my men and me.
+
+ "Yet I will stay at Otterbourne,
+ Where you shall welcome be; 50
+ And if ye come not at three dayis end,
+ A fause lord I'll ca' thee."
+
+ "Thither will I come," proud Percy said,
+ "By the might of Our Ladye!"
+ "There will I bide thee," said the Douglas, 55
+ "My troth I plight to thee."
+
+ They lighted high on Otterbourne,
+ Upon the bent sae brown;
+ They lighted high on Otterbourne,
+ And threw their pallions down. 60
+
+ And he that had a bonnie boy,
+ Sent out his horse to grass;
+ And he that had not a bonnie boy,
+ His ain servant he was.
+
+ But up then spake a little page, 65
+ Before the peep of dawn--
+ "O waken ye, waken ye, my good lord,
+ For Percy's hard at hand."
+
+ "Ye lie, ye lie, ye liar loud!
+ Sae loud I hear ye lie: 70
+ For Percy had not men yestreen
+ To dight my men and me.
+
+ "But I have dream'd a dreary dream,
+ Beyond the Isle of Sky;
+ I saw a dead man win a fight, 75
+ And I think that man was I."
+
+ He belted on his guid braid sword,
+ And to the field he ran;
+ But he forgot the helmet good,
+ That should have kept his brain. 80
+
+ When Percy wi' the Douglas met,
+ I wat he was fu' fain;
+ They swakked their swords, till sair they swat,
+ And the blood ran down like rain.
+
+ But Percy with his good broad sword, 85
+ That could so sharply wound,
+ Has wounded Douglas on the brow,
+ Till he fell to the ground.
+
+ Then he call'd on his little foot-page,
+ And said--"Run speedilie, 90
+ And fetch my ain dear sister's son,
+ Sir Hugh Montgomery.
+
+ "My nephew good," the Douglas said,
+ "What recks the death of ane!
+ Last night I dream'd a dreary dream, 95
+ And I ken the day's thy ain.
+
+ "My wound is deep; I fain would sleep;
+ Take thou the vanguard of the three,
+ And hide me by the braken bush,
+ That grows on yonder lilye lee. 100
+
+ "O bury me by the braken bush,
+ Beneath the blooming brier,
+ Let never living mortal ken
+ That ere a kindly Scot lies here."
+
+ He lifted up that noble lord, 105
+ Wi' the saut tear in his ee;
+ He hid him in the braken bush,
+ That his merrie-men might not see.
+
+ The moon was clear, the day drew near,
+ The spears in flinders flew, 110
+ But mony a gallant Englishman
+ Ere day the Scotsmen slew.
+
+ The Gordons good, in English blood
+ They steep'd their hose and shoon;
+ The Lindsays flew like fire about, 115
+ Till all the fray was done.
+
+ The Percy and Montgomery met,
+ That either of other were fain;
+ They swapped swords, and they twa swat,
+ And aye the blood ran down between. 120
+
+ "Now yield thee, yield thee, Percy," he said,
+ "Or else I vow I'll lay thee low!"
+ "To whom must I yield," quoth Earl Percy,
+ "Now that I see it must be so?"
+
+ "Thou shalt not yield to lord nor loun, 125
+ Nor yet shalt thou yield to me;
+ But yield thee to the braken bush,
+ That grows upon yon lilye lee."
+
+ "I will not yield to a braken bush,
+ Nor yet will I yield to a brier; 130
+ But I would yield to Earl Douglas,
+ Or Sir Hugh the Montgomery, if he were here."
+
+ As soon as he knew it was Montgomery,
+ He struck his sword's point in the gronde;
+ The Montgomery was a courteous knight, 135
+ And quickly took him by the honde.
+
+ This deed was done at the Otterbourne,
+ About the breaking of the day;
+ Earl Douglas was buried at the braken bush,
+ And the Percy led captive away.[L140] 140
+
+ * * * * *
+
+6. "Light" is the appropriated designation of the Lindsays, as "gay"
+is that of the Gordons.
+
+7. The Jardines were a clan of hardy West-Border men. Their chief was
+Jardine of Applegirth. Their refusal to ride with Douglas was,
+probably, the result of one of those perpetual feuds, which usually
+rent to pieces a Scottish army.--S.
+
+35. Douglas insinuates that Percy was rescued by his soldiers.--S.
+
+140. Douglas was really buried in Melrose Abbey, where his tomb is
+still to be seen.
+
+
+
+
+THE HUNTING OF THE CHEVIOT.
+
+
+In _the Battle of Otterbourne_ the story is told with all the usual
+accuracy of tradition, and the usual fairness of partizans. Not so
+with the following ballad, which is founded on the same event. "That
+which is commonly sung of the _Hunting of Cheviot_," says Hume of
+Godscroft truly, "seemeth indeed poetical, and a mere fiction,
+perhaps to stir up virtue; yet a fiction whereof there is no mention
+either in the Scottish or English chronicle." When this ballad arose
+we do not know, but we may suppose that a considerable time would
+elapse before a minstrel would venture to treat an historical event
+with so much freedom.
+
+We must, however, allow some force to these remarks of Percy: "With
+regard to the subject of this ballad, although it has no countenance
+from history, there is room to think it had originally some foundation
+in fact. It was one of the laws of the Marches, frequently renewed
+between the nations, that neither party should hunt in the other's
+borders, without leave from the proprietors or their deputies. There
+had long been a rivalship between the two martial families of Percy
+and Douglas, which, heightened by the national quarrel, must have
+produced frequent challenges and struggles for superiority, petty
+invasions of their respective domains, and sharp contests for the
+point of honour; which would not always be recorded in history.
+Something of this kind, we may suppose, gave rise to the ancient
+ballad of the _Hunting a' the Cheviat_. Percy Earl of Northumberland
+had vowed to hunt for three days in the Scottish border, without
+condescending to ask leave from Earl Douglas, who was either lord of
+the soil, or lord warden of the Marches. Douglas would not fail to
+resent the insult, and endeavour to repel the intruders by force: this
+would naturally produce a sharp conflict between the two parties;
+something of which, it is probable, did really happen, though not
+attended with the tragical circumstances recorded in the ballad: for
+these are evidently borrowed from the Battle of Otterbourn, a very
+different event, but which aftertimes would easily confound with
+it."[1]
+
+The ballad as here printed is of the same age as the preceding. It is
+extracted from Hearne's Preface to the _History_ of Guilielmus
+Neubrigensis, p. lxxxii. Hearne derived his copy from a manuscript in
+the Ashmolean collection at Oxford, and printed the text in long
+lines, which, according to custom, are now broken up into two.
+
+The manuscript copy is subscribed at the end "Expliceth quoth Rychard
+Sheale." Richard Sheale (it has been shown by a writer in the _British
+Bibliographer_, vol. iv. p. 97-105) was a minstrel by profession, and
+several other pieces in the same MS. have a like signature with this.
+On this ground it has been very strangely concluded that Sheale was
+not, as Percy and Ritson supposed, the transcriber, but the actual
+author of this noble ballad. The glaring objection of the antiquity of
+the language has been met, first, by the supposition that the author
+belonged to the north of England, and afterwards, when it appeared
+that Sheale lived at Tamworth, about a hundred miles from London, by
+the allegation that the language of a person in humble life in
+Warwickshire or Staffordshire would be very far behind the current
+speech of the metropolis. It happens, however, that the language of
+the ballad is very much older than the other compositions of Sheale,
+as a moment's inspection will show. Besides, Sheale's poetical
+abilities were manifestly of the lowest order, and although he styles
+himself "minstrel," we have no reason to think that he ever composed
+ballads. He speaks of his memory being at one time so decayed that he
+"could neither sing nor talk." Being a mere ballad-_singer_ and
+story-teller, he would naturally be dependent on that faculty. The
+fact is very obvious, that Richard Sheale was a mere reciter of songs
+and tales; at any rate, that all we have to thank him for in the
+matter of _Chevy Chase_ is for committing to paper the only old copy
+that has come down to our times.[2]
+
+The _Hunting of the Cheviot_ is mentioned in the _Complaynt of
+Scotland_ with other, very ancient, ballads. It was consequently
+popular in Scotland in 1548, ten years before the time that we _know_
+Sheale to have written anything. The mention of James the Scottish
+King forbids us to assign this piece an earlier date than the reign of
+Henry VI.
+
+It has been customary to understand Sidney's saying of the "old song
+of Percy and Douglas"--that it moved his heart more than a
+trumpet--exclusively of _Chevy Chase_. There is no question which
+ballad would stand higher in the estimation of the gentle knight, but
+the terms by which the war-song he admired is described are of course
+equally applicable to _The Battle of Otterbourne_. By the way we may
+remark that if we do understand Sidney to have meant _Chevy Chase_,
+then, whatever opinion writers of our day may have of its antiquity,
+and however probable it may seem to them that _Chevy Chase_ was
+written by a contemporary of Sir Philip, it appeared to the author of
+the _Defence of Poetry_ to be "evil apparelled in the dust and cobweb
+of an uncivil age"!
+
+ * * * * *
+
+[1] The Editor of the _Reliques_ afterwards met with the following
+passage in Collins's _Peerage_, which he thought might throw some
+light on the question of the origin of the ballad.
+
+"In this ... year, 1436, according to Hector Boethius, was fought the
+battle of Pepperden, not far from the Cheviot Hills, between the Earl
+of Northumberland [IId Earl, son of Hotspur], and Earl William
+Douglas, of Angus, with a small army of about four thousand men each,
+in which the latter had the advantage. As this seems to have been a
+private conflict between these two great Chieftains of the Borders,
+rather than a national war, it has been thought to have given rise to
+the celebrated old ballad of Chevy-Chase; which to render it more
+pathetic and interesting, has been heightened with tragical incidents
+wholly fictitious."
+
+[2] We regret that even Dr. Rimbault has hastily sanctioned this
+ascription of _Chevy-Chase_ to the "sely" minstrel of Tamworth.
+
+
+
+
+THE FIRST FIT.
+
+ The Persè owt off Northombarlande,
+ And a vowe to God mayd he,
+ That he wold hunte in the mountayns
+ Off Chyviat within days thre,
+ In the mauger of doughtè Dogles,[L5] 5
+ And all that ever with him be.
+
+ The fattiste hartes in all Cheviat
+ He sayd he wold kill, and cary them away:
+ "Be my feth," sayd the dougheti Doglas agayn,
+ "I wyll let that hontyng yf that I may." 10
+
+ Then the Persè owt of Banborowe cam,[L11]
+ With him a myghtee meany;
+ With fifteen hondrith archares bold off blood and bone,[L13]
+ The wear chosen owt of shyars thre.[L14]
+
+ This begane on a Monday at morn, 15
+ In Cheviat the hillys so he;
+ The chyld may rue that ys un-born,
+ It was the mor pittè.
+
+ The dryvars throrowe the woodès went,
+ For to reas the dear; 20
+ Bomen byckarte uppone the bent
+ With ther browd aras cleare.
+
+ Then the wyld thorowe the woodès went,
+ On every sydè shear;
+ Grea-hondes thorowe the grevis glent, 25
+ For to kyll thear dear.
+
+ The begane in Chyviat the hyls above,
+ Yerly on a Monnyn day;
+ Be that it drewe to the oware off none,
+ A hondrith fat hartes ded ther lay. 30
+
+ The blewe a mort uppone the bent,[L31]
+ The semblyd on sydis shear;
+ To the quyrry then the Persè went,
+ To se the bryttlynge off the deare.
+
+ He sayd, "It was the Duglas promys 35
+ This day to met me hear;
+ But I wyste he wold faylle, verament:"
+ A great oth the Persè swear.
+
+ At the laste a squyar of Northombelonde
+ Lokyde at his hand full ny; 40
+ He was war a' the doughetie Doglas comynge,[L41]
+ With him a myghttè meany;
+
+ Both with spear, byll, and brande;[L43]
+ Yt was a myghti sight to se;
+ Hardyar men, both off hart nar hande, 45
+ Wear not in Christiantè.
+
+ The wear twenty hondrith spear-men good,
+ Withowtè any feale;
+ The wear borne along be the watter a Twyde,
+ Yth' bowndes of Tividale. 50
+
+ "Leave of the brytlyng of the dear," he sayde,
+ "And to your bowys lock ye tayk good heed;[L52]
+ For never sithe ye wear on your mothars borne
+ Had ye never so mickle ned."
+
+ The dougheti Dogglas on a stede 55
+ He rode att his men beforne;
+ His armor glytteryde as dyd a glede;
+ A bolder barne was never born.
+
+ "Tell me whos men ye ar," he says,
+ "Or whos men that ye be: 60
+ Who gave youe leave to hunte in this Chyviat chays,
+ In the spyt of me?"
+
+ The first mane that ever him an answear mayd,
+ Yt was the good lord Persè:
+ "We wyll not tell the whoys men we ar," he says, 65
+ "Nor whos men that we be;
+ But we wyll hount hear in this chays,
+ In the spyt of thyne and of the.
+
+ "The fattiste hartes in all Chyviat
+ We have kyld, and cast to carry them a-way:" 70
+ "Be my troth," sayd the doughtè Dogglas agayn,[L71]
+ "Ther-for the ton of us shall de this day."
+
+ Then sayd the doughtè Doglas
+ Unto the lord Persè:
+ "To kyll all thes giltles men, 75
+ Alas, it wear great pittè!
+
+ "But, Persè, thowe art a lord of lande,
+ I am a yerle callyd within my contrè;
+ Let all our men uppone a parti stande,
+ And do the battell off the and of me." 80
+
+ "Nowe Cristes cors on his crowne," sayd the lord Persè,[L81]
+ "Whosoever ther-to says nay;
+ Be my troth, doughttè Doglas," he says,
+ "Thow shalt never se that day.
+
+ "Nethar in Ynglonde, Skottlonde, nar France, 85
+ Nor for no man of a woman born,
+ But, and fortune be my chance,
+ I dar met him, on man for on."
+
+ Then bespayke a squyar off Northombarlonde,
+ Richard Wytharyngton was him nam; 90
+ "It shall never be told in Sothe-Ynglonde," he says,
+ "To kyng Herry the fourth for sham.
+
+ "I wat youe byn great lordes twaw,
+ I am a poor squyar of lande;
+ I wyll never se my captayne fyght on a fylde, 95
+ And stande myselffe, and loocke on,
+ But whyll I may my weppone welde,
+ I wyll not [fayl] both hart and hande."
+
+ That day, that day, that dredfull day![L99]
+ The first fit here I fynde; 100
+ And youe wyll here any mor a' the hountyng a' the Chyviat,
+ Yet ys ther mor behynd.
+
+5. magger.
+
+11. The the.
+
+13. archardes.
+
+14. By these _shyars thre_ is probably meant three districts in
+Northumberland, which still go by the name of _shires_, and are all in
+the neighbourhood of Cheviot. These are _Islandshire_, being the
+district so named from Holy-Island: _Norehamshire_, so called from the
+town and castle of Noreham (or Norham): and _Bamboroughshire_, the
+ward or hundred belonging to Bamborough-castle and town.--PERCY.
+
+31. blwe a mot.
+
+41. ath the.
+
+43. brylly.
+
+52. boys.
+
+71. agay.
+
+81. sayd the the.
+
+99. "That day, that day, that gentil day," is cited in _The Complaynt
+of Scotland_, (ii. 101,) not, we imagine, as the _title_ of a ballad
+(any more than "The Persee and the Mongumrye met," _ante_, p. 19,) but
+as a line by which the song containing it might be recalled.
+
+
+THE SECOND FIT.
+
+ The Yngglyshe men hade ther bowys yebent,[L1]
+ Ther hartes were good yenoughe;
+ The first off arros that the shote off,
+ Seven skore spear-men the sloughe.
+
+ Yet byddys the yerle Doglas uppon the bent, 5
+ A captayne good yenoughe,
+ And that was sene verament,
+ For he wrought hom both woo and wouche.
+
+ The Dogglas pertyd his ost or thre,
+ Lyk a cheffe cheften off pryde, 10
+ With suar spears off myghttè tre,
+ The cum in on every syde:
+
+ Thrughe our Yngglyshe archery
+ Gave many a wounde full wyde;
+ Many a doughete the garde to dy, 15
+ Which ganyde them no pryde.
+
+ The Ynglyshe men let thear bowys be,[L17]
+ And pulde owt brandes that wer bright;[L18]
+ It was a hevy syght to se
+ Bryght swordes on basnites lyght. 20
+
+ Throrowe ryche male and myneyeple,
+ Many sterne the stroke downe streght;[L22]
+ Many a freyke that was full fre,
+ Ther undar foot dyd lyght.
+
+ At last the Duglas and the Persè met, 25
+ Lyk to captayns of myght and of mayne;[L26]
+ The swapte togethar tyll the both swat,
+ With swordes that wear of fyn myllàn.
+
+ Thes worthè freckys for to fyght,
+ Ther-to the wear full fayne, 30
+ Tyll the bloode owte off thear basnetes sprente,
+ As ever dyd heal or rayne.[L32]
+
+ "Holde the, Persè," sayde the Doglas,[L33]
+ "And i' feth I shall the brynge
+ Wher thowe shalte have a yerls wagis 35
+ Of Jamy our Scottish kynge.[L36]
+
+ "Thoue shalte have thy ransom fre,
+ I hight the hear this thinge,
+ For the manfullyste man yet art thowe,
+ That ever I conqueryd in filde fightyng." 40
+
+ "Nay," sayd the lord Persè,
+ "I tolde it the beforne,
+ That I wolde never yeldyde be
+ To no man of a woman born."
+
+ With that ther cam an arrowe hastely,[L45] 45
+ Forthe off a myghttè wane;
+ Hit hathe strekene the yerle Duglas
+ In at the brest bane.
+
+ Throroue lyvar and longs, bathe
+ The sharp arrowe ys gane, 50
+ That never after in all his lyffe-days,
+ He spayke mo wordes but ane:
+ That was, "Fyghte ye, my myrry men, whyllys ye may,
+ For my lyff-days ben gan."
+
+ The Persè leanyde on his brande, 55
+ And sawe the Duglas de;
+ He tooke the dede mane be the hande,
+ And sayd, "Wo ys me for the!
+
+ "To have savyde thy lyffe, I wolde have pertyde with
+ My landes for years thre, 60
+ For a better man, of hart nare of hande,
+ Was not in all the north contrè."
+
+ Off all that se a Skottishe knyght,
+ Was callyd Sir Hewe the Monggonbyrry;
+ He sawe the Duglas to the deth was dyght, 65
+ He spendyd a spear, a trusti tre:--
+
+ He rod uppon a corsiare
+ Throughe a hondrith archery:
+ He never stynttyde, nar never blane,
+ Tyll he cam to the good lord Persè. 70
+
+ He set uppone the lord Persè
+ A dynte that was full soare;
+ With a suar spear of a myghttè tre
+ Clean thorow the body he the Persè ber,
+
+ A' the tothar syde that a man myght se 75
+ A large cloth yard and mare:
+ Towe bettar captayns wear nat in Cristiantè,
+ Then that day slain wear ther.
+
+ An archar off Northomberlonde
+ Say slean was the lord Persè; 80
+ He bar a bende-bowe in his hand,
+ Was made off trusti tre.
+
+ An arow, that a cloth yarde was lang,
+ To th' harde stele haylde he;
+ A dynt that was both sad and soar, 85
+ He sat on Sir Hewe the Monggonbyrry.
+
+ The dynt yt was both sad and soar,[L87]
+ That he on Monggonberry sete;[L88]
+ The swane-fethars, that his arrowe bar,
+ With his hart-blood the wear wete. 90
+
+ Ther was never a freak wone foot wolde fle,
+ But still in stour dyd stand,
+ Heawyng on yche othar, whyll the myght dre,
+ With many a balfull brande.
+
+ This battell begane in Chyviat 95
+ An owar befor the none,
+ And when even-song bell was rang,
+ The battell was nat half done.
+
+ The tooke on ethar hand[L99]
+ Be the lyght off the mone; 100
+ Many hade no strength for to stande,
+ In Chyviat the hillys aboun.[L102]
+
+ Of fifteen hondrith archars of Ynglonde
+ Went away but fifti and thre;
+ Of twenty hondrith spear-men of Skotlonde, 105
+ But even five and fifti:
+
+ But all wear slayne Cheviat within;
+ The hade no strenge to stand on hy;
+ The chylde may rue that ys unborne,
+ It was the mor pittè. 110
+
+ Thear was slayne withe the lord Persè,
+ Sir John of Agerstone,
+ Sir Rogar, the hinde Hartly,
+ Sir Wyllyam, the bolde Hearone.
+
+ Sir Jorg, the worthè Lovele,[L115] 115
+ A knyght of great renowen,
+ Sir Raff, the ryche Rugbè,
+ With dyntes wear beaten dowene.
+
+ For Wetharryngton my harte was wo,
+ That ever he slayne shulde be; 120
+ For when both his leggis wear hewyne in to,
+ Yet he knyled and fought on hys kny.
+
+ Ther was slayne with the dougheti Duglas,
+ Sir Hewe the Monggonbyrry,
+ Sir Davy Lwdale, that worthè was,[L125] 125
+ His sistars son was he:
+
+ His Charls a Murrè in that place,
+ That never a foot wolde fle;
+ Sir Hewe Maxwell, a lorde he was,
+ With the Doglas dyd he dey. 130
+
+ So on the morrowe the mayde them byears
+ Off birch and hasell so gray;[L132]
+ Many wedous with wepyng tears
+ Cam to fach ther makys away.
+
+ Tivydale may carpe off care, 135
+ Northombarlond may mayk grat mon,
+ For towe such captayns as slayne wear thear,
+ On the March-perti shall never be non.
+
+ Word ys commen to Eddenburrowe,
+ To Jamy the Skottishe kyng, 140
+ That dougheti Duglas, lyff-tenant of the Merches,
+ He lay slean Chyviot with-in.
+
+ His handdes dyd he weal and wryng,
+ He sayd, "Alas, and woe ys me!"
+ Such an othar captayn Skotland within, 145
+ He sayd, ye-feth shuld never be.
+
+ Worde ys commyn to lovly Londone,
+ Till the fourth Harry our kyng,
+ That lord Persè, leyff-tenante of the Merchis,[L149]
+ He lay slayne Chyviat within. 150
+
+ "God have merci on his soll," sayd kyng Harry,
+ "Good lord, yf thy will it be!
+ I have a hondrith captayns in Ynglonde," he sayd,
+ "As good as ever was he:
+ But Persè, and I brook my lyffe, 155
+ Thy deth well quyte shall be."
+
+ As our noble kyng mayd his a-vowe,
+ Lyke a noble prince of renowen,
+ For the deth of the lord Persè
+ He dyde the battell of Hombyll-down: 160
+
+ Wher syx and thritté Skottishe knyghtes
+ On a day wear beaten down:
+ Glendale glytteryde on ther armor bryght,[L163]
+ Over castill, towar, and town.
+
+ This was the Hontynge off the Cheviat; 165
+ That tear begane this spurn:
+ Old men that knowen the grownde well yenoughe,
+ Call it the Battell of Otterburn.
+
+ At Otterburn began this spurne
+ Uppon a Monnyn day:[L170] 170
+ Ther was the dougghtè Doglas slean,
+ The Persè never went away.
+
+ Ther was never a tym on the March-partes
+ Sen the Doglas and the Persè met,
+ But yt was marvele, and the rede blude ronne not, 175
+ As the reane doys in the stret.
+
+ Jhesue Christ our ballys bete,
+ And to the blys us brynge!
+ Thus was the Hountynge of the Chivyat:
+ God send us all good endyng! 180
+
+1-4. It is well known that the ancient English weapon was the
+long-bow, and that this nation excelled all others in archery, while
+the Scottish warriors chiefly depended on the use of the spear. This
+characteristic difference never escapes our ancient bard.--PERCY.
+
+17. boys.
+
+18. briggt.
+
+22. done.
+
+26. to, i. e. tow.
+
+32. ran.
+
+33. helde.
+
+36. Scottih.
+
+45. a narrowe. So again in v. 83, and a nowar in v. 96. This
+transference of final n to the succeeding word is of common occurrence
+in old poetry.
+
+87. sar.
+
+88. of.
+
+99. a word has dropped out.
+
+102. abou.
+
+115. lo[=u]le.
+
+125. Lwdale, i. e. Liddel.
+
+132. gay.
+
+149. cheyff.
+
+163. Glendale is one of the seven wards of Northumberland. In this
+district the village of Homildown is situated, about a mile from
+Wooler. On the 14th of September, 1402, a battle was fought at this
+place between the Percys and Archibald, Earl of Douglas, in which the
+Scots were totally routed, and Douglas taken prisoner.
+
+170. Nonnyn.
+
+
+
+
+CHEVY-CHACE.
+
+
+The text of this later ballad of _Chevy-Chace_ is given as it appears
+in _Old Ballads_ (1723), vol. i. p. 111, and in Durfey's _Pills to
+Purge Melancholy_, vol. iv. p. 289, and differs very slightly from
+that of the _Reliques_ (i. 265), where the ballad was printed from the
+folio MS., compared with two other black-letter copies.
+
+The age of this version of the story is not known, but it is certainly
+not later, says Dr. Rimbault, than the reign of Charles the Second.
+Addison's papers in the _Spectator_ (Nos. 70 and 74) evince so true a
+perception of the merits of this ballad, shorn as it is of the most
+striking beauties of the grand original, that we cannot but deeply
+regret his never having seen the ancient and genuine copy, which was
+published by Hearne only a few days after Addison died. Well might the
+Spectator dissent from the judgment of Sidney, if _this_ were the rude
+and ill-apparelled song of a barbarous age.
+
+
+ God prosper long our noble king,
+ Our lives and safeties all;
+ A woful hunting once there did
+ In Chevy-Chace befall.
+
+ To drive the deer with hound and horn, 5
+ Erle Piercy took his way;
+ The child may rue that is unborn,
+ The hunting of that day.
+
+ The stout Earl of Northumberland
+ A vow to God did make, 10
+ His pleasure in the Scottish woods
+ Three summer's days to take;
+
+ The chiefest harts in Chevy-Chace
+ To kill and bear away:
+ The tidings to Earl Douglas came, 15
+ In Scotland where he lay.
+
+ Who sent Earl Piercy present word,
+ He would prevent his sport;
+ The English earl not fearing this,
+ Did to the woods resort, 20
+
+ With fifteen hundred bow-men bold
+ All chosen men of might,
+ Who knew full well in time of need
+ To aim their shafts aright.
+
+ The gallant greyhounds swiftly ran, 25
+ To chase the fallow deer;
+ On Monday they began to hunt,
+ When day-light did appear.
+
+ And long before high noon they had
+ An hundred fat bucks slain; 30
+ Then having din'd, the drovers went
+ To rouze them up again.
+
+ The bow-men muster'd on the hills,
+ Well able to endure;
+ Their backsides all, with special care, 35
+ That day were guarded sure.
+
+ The hounds ran swiftly thro' the woods,
+ The nimble deer to take,
+ And with their cries the hills and dales
+ An eccho shrill did make. 40
+
+ Lord Piercy to the quarry went,
+ To view the tender deere;
+ Quoth he, "Earl Douglas promised
+ This day to meet me heer.
+
+ "If that I thought he would not come, 45
+ No longer would I stay."
+ With that, a brave young gentleman
+ Thus to the Earl did say:
+
+ "Lo, yonder doth Earl Douglas come,
+ His men in armour bright; 50
+ Full twenty hundred Scottish spears,
+ All marching in our sight.
+
+ "All men of pleasant Tividale,
+ Fast by the river Tweed:"
+ "Then cease your sport," Erle Piercy said, 55
+ "And take your bows with speed.
+
+ "And now with me, my countrymen,
+ Your courage forth advance;
+ For there was never champion yet
+ In Scotland or in France, 60
+
+ "That ever did on horseback come,
+ But, if my hap it were,[L62]
+ I durst encounter man for man,
+ With him to break a spear."
+
+ Earl Douglas on his milk-white steed, 65
+ Most like a baron bold,
+ Rode foremost of the company,
+ Whose armour shone like gold.
+
+ "Show me," he said, "whose men you be,
+ That hunt so boldly here, 70
+ That, without my consent, do chase
+ And kill my fallow-deer."
+
+ The man that first did answer make
+ Was noble Piercy he;
+ Who said, "We list not to declare, 75
+ Nor show whose men we be.
+
+ "Yet we will spend our dearest blood,
+ Thy chiefest hart to slay;"
+ Then Douglas swore a solemn oath,
+ And thus in rage did say; 80
+
+ "Ere thus I will out-braved be,
+ One of us two shall dye:
+ I know thee well, an earl thou art;
+ Lord Piercy, so am I.
+
+ "But trust me, Piercy, pity it were, 85
+ And great offence, to kill
+ Any of these our harmless men,
+ For they have done no ill.
+
+ "Let thou and I the battel try,
+ And set our men aside: 90
+ "Accurs'd be he," Lord Piercy said,
+ "By whom this is deny'd."
+
+ Then stept a gallant squire forth,
+ (Witherington was his name)
+ Who said, "I would not have it told 95
+ To Henry our king for shame,
+
+ "That ere my captaine fought on foot,
+ And I stood looking on:
+ You be two earls," said Witherington,
+ "And I a squire alone. 100
+
+ "I'll do the best that do I may,
+ While I have power to stand;
+ While I have power to wield my sword,
+ I'll fight with heart and hand."
+
+ Our English archers bent their bows, 105
+ Their hearts were good and true;
+ At the first flight of arrows sent,
+ Full three score Scots they slew.
+
+ To drive the deer with hound and horn,
+ Earl Douglas had the bent; 110
+ A captain mov'd with mickle pride
+ The spears to shivers sent.
+
+ They clos'd full fast on every side,
+ No slacknes there was found;
+ And many a gallant gentleman 115
+ Lay gasping on the ground.
+
+ O Christ! it was a grief to see,
+ And likewise for to hear,
+ The cries of men lying in their gore,
+ And scatter'd here and there. 120
+
+ At last these two stout earls did meet,
+ Like captains of great might;
+ Like lions mov'd they laid on load,[L123]
+ And made a cruel fight.
+
+ They fought until they both did sweat, 125
+ With swords of temper'd steel;
+ Until the blood, like drops of rain,
+ They trickling down did feel.
+
+ "Yield thee, Lord Piercy," Douglas said;
+ "In faith I will thee bring, 130
+ Where thou shalt high advanced be
+ By James, our Scottish king.
+
+ "Thy ransom I will freely give,
+ And thus report of thee,
+ Thou art the most couragious knight 135
+ That ever I did see.
+
+ "No, Douglas," quoth Earl Piercy then,[L137]
+ "Thy proffer I do scorn;
+ I will not yield to any Scot
+ That ever yet was born." 140
+
+ With that, there came an arrow keen
+ Out of an English bow,
+ Which struck Earl Douglas to the heart,
+ A deep and deadly blow:
+
+ Who never spoke more words than these, 145
+ "Fight on, my merry men all;
+ For why, my life is at an end,
+ Lord Piercy sees my fall."
+
+ Then leaving life, Earl Piercy took
+ The dead man by the hand; 150
+ And said, "Earl Douglas, for thy life
+ Would I had lost my land!
+
+ "O Christ! my very heart doth bleed
+ With sorrow for thy sake;
+ For sure, a more renowned knight 155
+ Mischance did never take."
+
+ A knight amongst the Scots there was,
+ Which saw Earl Douglas dye,
+ Who straight in wrath did vow revenge
+ Upon the Earl Piercy. 160
+
+ Sir Hugh Montgomery was he call'd,
+ Who, with a spear most bright,
+ Well-mounted on a gallant steed,
+ Ran fiercely thro' the fight;
+
+ And pass'd the English archers all, 165
+ Without all dread or fear,
+ And through Earl Piercy's body then
+ He thrust his hateful spear.
+
+ With such a veh'ment force and might
+ He did his body gore, 170
+ The spear ran through the other side
+ A large cloth-yard, and more.
+
+ So thus did both these nobles dye,
+ Whose courage none could stain;
+ An English archer then perceiv'd 175
+ The noble earl was slain.
+
+ He had a bow bent in his hand,
+ Made of a trusty tree;
+ An arrow of a cloth-yard long
+ Up to the head drew he. 180
+
+ Against Sir Hugh Montgomery
+ So right his shaft he set,
+ The grey goose-wing that was thereon
+ In his heart's blood was wet.
+
+ This fight did last from break of day 185
+ Till setting of the sun;
+ For when they rung the evening-bell,[L187]
+ The battel scarce was done.
+
+ With the Earl Piercy, there was slain
+ Sir John of Ogerton, 190
+ Sir Robert Ratcliff, and Sir John,
+ Sir James, that bold baron.
+
+ And with Sir George and good Sir James,
+ Both knights of good account,
+ Good Sir Ralph Rabby there was slain, 195
+ Whose prowess did surmount.
+
+ For Witherington needs must I wail,
+ As one in doleful dumps;[L198]
+ For when his legs were smitten off,
+ He fought upon his stumps. 200
+
+ And with Earl Douglas, there was slain
+ Sir Hugh Montgomery,
+ Sir Charles Currel, that from the field
+ One foot would never fly.
+
+ Sir Charles Murrel, of Ratcliff, too, 205
+ His sister's son was he;
+ Sir David Lamb, so well esteem'd,
+ Yet saved could not bee.
+
+ And the Lord Maxwell in like wise
+ Did with Earl Douglas dye; 210
+ Of twenty hundred Scottish spears
+ Scarce fifty-five did fly.
+
+ Of fifteen hundred Englishmen,
+ Went home but fifty-three;
+ The rest were slain in Chevy-Chace, 215
+ Under the green-wood tree.
+
+ Next day did many widows come,
+ Their husbands to bewail;
+ They wash'd their wounds in brinish tears,
+ But all would not prevail.[L220] 220
+
+ Their bodies, bath'd in purple blood,
+ They bore with them away:
+ They kiss'd them dead a thousand times,
+ When they were clad in clay.
+
+ This news was brought to Edinburgh, 225
+ Where Scotland's king did reign,
+ That brave Earl Douglas suddenly
+ Was with an arrow slain.
+
+ "O heavy news," King James did say;
+ "Scotland can witness be, 230
+ I have not any captain more
+ Of such account as he."
+
+ Like tidings to King Henry came,
+ Within as short a space,
+ That Piercy of Northumberland 235
+ Was slaine in Chevy-Chace.
+
+ "Now God be with him," said our king,
+ "Sith 't will no better be;
+ I trust I have within my realm
+ Five hundred as good as he. 240
+
+ "Yet shall not Scot nor Scotland say,
+ But I will vengeance take,
+ And be revenged on them all,
+ For brave Earl Piercy's sake."
+
+ This vow full well the king perform'd, 245
+ After, on Humbledown;
+ In one day, fifty knights were slain,
+ With lords of great renown.
+
+ And of the rest, of small account,
+ Did many thousands dye: 250
+ Thus endeth the hunting of Chevy-Chace,
+ Made by the Earl Piercy.
+
+ God save the king, and bless the land
+ In plenty, joy, and peace;
+ And grant henceforth, that foul debate 255
+ 'Twixt noblemen may cease!
+
+62. since.--O. B.
+
+123. Percy has _lions wood_.
+
+137. To.
+
+187. Sc. the Curfew bell, usually rung at eight o'clock; to which the
+modernizer apparently alludes, instead of the "Evensong bell," or bell
+for vespers of the original author, before the Reformation.--PERCY.
+
+198. "I, as one in deep concern, must lament." The construction here
+has generally been misunderstood.--P.
+
+This phrase may help us to determine the date of the authorship of the
+ballad. "Doleful dumps" suggested nothing ludicrous to a writer of the
+age of Elizabeth, but not long after became burlesque. The observation
+is Percy's.
+
+220. They.--O. B.
+
+
+
+
+
+SIR ANDREW BARTON.
+
+From Percy's _Reliques_, ii. 193.
+
+
+"The transactions which did the greatest honour to the Earl of Surrey
+and his family at this time [A. D. 1511], was their behaviour in the
+case of Barton, a Scotch sea-officer. This gentleman's father having
+suffered by sea from the Portuguese, he had obtained letters of marque
+for his two sons to make reprisals upon the subjects of Portugal. It
+is extremely probable, that the court of Scotland granted these
+letters with no very honest intention. The council-board of England,
+at which the Earl of Surrey held the chief place, was daily pestered
+with complaints from the sailors and merchants, that Barton, who was
+called Sir Andrew Barton, under pretence of searching for Portuguese
+goods, interrupted the English navigation. Henry's situation at that
+time rendered him backward from breaking with Scotland, so that their
+complaints were but coldly received. The Earl of Surrey, however,
+could not smother his indignation, but gallantly declared at the
+council-board, that while he had an estate that could furnish out a
+ship, or a son that was capable of commanding one, the narrow seas
+should not be infested.
+
+"Sir Andrew Barton, who commanded the two Scotch ships, had the
+reputation of being one of the ablest sea officers of his time. By his
+depredations, he had amassed great wealth, and his ships were very
+richly laden. Henry, notwithstanding his situation, could not refuse
+the generous offer made by the Earl of Surrey. Two ships were
+immediately fitted out, and put to sea with letters of marque, under
+his two sons, 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 person; and Sir Edward came up
+with the Union, Barton's other ship [called by Hall, the Bark of
+Scotland]. The engagement which ensued was extremely obstinate on both
+sides; but at last the fortune of the Howards prevailed. Sir Andrew
+was killed, fighting bravely, and encouraging his men with his
+whistle, to hold out to the last; and the two Scotch ships, with their
+crews, were carried into the River Thames [Aug. 2, 1511]." (Guthrie's
+_Peerage_, as quoted by Percy.)
+
+An old copy in the precious Manuscript furnished the foundation for
+Percy's edition of this noble ballad. The editor states that the text
+of the original was so incorrect as to require emendations from
+black-letter copies and from conjecture. These emendations, where they
+are noted, we have for the most part disregarded. We would fain
+believe that nothing except a defect in the manuscript could have
+reconciled the Bishop to adopting the four lines with which the ballad
+now begins.
+
+The common, or black-letter copies, are somewhat abridged as well as
+modernized. One of these is given in the Appendix.
+
+
+THE FIRST PART.
+
+ When Flora with her fragrant flowers[L1]
+ Bedeckt the earth so trim and gaye,
+ And Neptune with his daintye showers
+ Came to present the monthe of Maye,
+ King Henrye rode to take the ayre, 5
+ 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 merchànts,
+ Good saylors, welcome unto mee:" 10
+ They swore by the rood, they were saylors good,
+ But rich merchànts they cold not bee.
+ "To France nor Flanders dare we pass,
+ Nor Bordeaux voyage dare we fare;
+ And all for a robber that lyes on the seas, 15
+ Who robbs us of our merchant ware."
+
+ King Henrye frownd, and turned him rounde,
+ And swore by the Lord that was mickle of might,
+ "I thought he had not beene in the world,
+ Durst have wrought England such unright." 20
+ The merchants sighed, and said, "Alas!"
+ And thus they did their answer frame;
+ "He is a proud Scott, that robbs on the seas,
+ And Sir Andrewe Barton is his name."
+
+ The king lookt over his left shoulder, 25
+ And an angrye look then looked hee;
+ "Have I never a lorde in all my realme,
+ Will feitch yond traytor unto mee?"
+ "Yea, that dare I," Lord Charles Howard sayes;
+ "Yea, that dare I, with heart and hand; 30
+ If it please your grace to give me leave,
+ Myselfe will be the only man."
+
+ "Thou art but yong," the kyng replyed,
+ "Yond Scott hath numbred manye a yeare:"
+ "Trust me, my liege, Ile make him quail, 35
+ Or before my prince I will never appeare."
+ "Then bowemen and gunners thou shalt have,
+ And chuse them over my realme so free;
+ Besides good mariners, and shipp-boyes,
+ To guide the great shipp on the sea." 40
+
+ The first man that Lord Howard chose,
+ Was the ablest gunner in all the realm,
+ Thoughe he was threescore yeeres and ten;
+ Good Peter Simon was his name.
+ "Peter," sais hee, "I must to the sea, 45
+ To bring home a traytor live or dead;
+ Before all others I have chosen thee,
+ Of a hundred gunners to be the head."
+
+ "If you, my lord, have chosen mee
+ Of a hundred gunners to be the head, 50
+ Then hang me up on your maine-mast tree,
+ If I misse my marke one shilling bread."
+ My lord then chose a boweman rare,
+ Whose active hands had gained fame;[L54]
+ In Yorkshire was this gentleman borne, 55
+ And William Horseley was his name.
+
+ "Horsley," sayd he, "I must with speede
+ Go seeke a traytor on the sea,
+ And now of a hundred bowemen brave
+ To be the head I have chosen thee." 60
+ "If you," quoth hee, "have chosen mee
+ Of a hundred bowemen to be the head,
+ On your main-mast Ile hanged bee,
+ If I miss twelvescore one penny bread."
+
+ With pikes, and gunnes, and bowemen bold, 65
+ This noble Howard is gone to the sea;
+ With a valyant heart and a pleasant cheare,
+ Out at Thames mouth sayled he.
+ And days he scant had sayled three,
+ Upon the journey he tooke in hand, 70
+ But there he mett with a noble shipp,
+ And stoutely made itt stay and stand.
+
+ "Thou must tell me," Lord Howard said,
+ "Now who thou art, and what's thy name;
+ And shewe me where thy dwelling is, 75
+ And whither bound, and whence thou came."
+ "My name is Henry Hunt," quoth hee,
+ With a heavye heart, and a carefull mind;
+ "I and my shipp doe both belong
+ To the Newcastle that stands upon Tyne." 80
+
+ "Hast thou not heard, nowe, Henrye Hunt,
+ As thou hast sayled by daye and by night,
+ Of a Scottish robber on the seas;
+ Men call him Sir Andrew Barton, knight?"
+ Then ever he sighed, and sayd "Alas!" 85
+ With a grieved mind, and well-away,
+ "But over-well I knowe that wight;
+ I was his prisoner yesterday.
+
+ "As I was sayling uppon the sea,
+ A Burdeaux voyage for to fare, 90
+ To his hach-borde he clasped me,[L91]
+ And robd me of all my merchant ware.
+ And mickle debts, God wot, I owe,
+ And every man will have his owne,
+ And I am nowe to London bounde, 95
+ Of our gracious king to beg a boone."
+
+ "That shall not need," Lord Howard sais;
+ "Lett me but once that robber see,
+ For every penny tane thee froe
+ It shall be doubled shillings three." 100
+ "Nowe Gode forefend," the merchant said,
+ "That you shold seek soe far amisse!
+ God keepe you out of that traitors hands!
+ Full litle ye wott what a man hee is.
+
+ "Hee is brasse within, and steele without, 105
+ With beames on his topcastle stronge;
+ And eighteen pieces of ordinance
+ He carries on each side along.
+ And he hath a pinnace deerlye dight,
+ St. Andrewes crosse, that is his guide; 110
+ His pinnace beareth ninescore men,
+ And fifteen canons on each side.
+
+ "Were ye twentye shippes, and he but one,
+ I sweare by kirke, and bower, and hall,
+ He wold overcome them everye one,[L115] 115
+ If once his beames they doe downe fall."
+ "This is cold comfort," sais my lord,
+ "To wellcome a stranger thus to the sea:
+ Yet Ile bring him and his shipp to shore,
+ Or to Scotland hee shall carrye mee." 120
+
+ "Then a noble gunner you must have,
+ And he must aim well with his ee,
+ And sinke his pinnace into the sea,
+ Or else hee never orecome will bee.
+ And if you chance his shipp to borde, 125
+ This counsel I must give withall,
+ Let no man to his topcastle goe
+ To strive to let his beams downe fall.
+
+ "And seven pieces of ordinance,
+ I pray your honour lend to mee, 130
+ On each side of my shipp along,
+ And I will lead you on the sea.
+ A glasse Ile sett, that may be seene,
+ Whether you sayle by day or night;
+ And to-morrowe, I sweare, by nine of the clocke,
+ You shall meet with Sir Andrewe Barton, knight." 135
+
+1-4. from the printed copy.
+
+54. from the printed copy.
+
+91. The MS. has here archborde, but in Part II. v. 5, hachebord.
+
+115. It should seem from hence, that before our marine artillery was
+brought to its present perfection, some naval commanders had recourse
+to instruments or machines, similar in use, though perhaps unlike in
+construction, to the heavy Dolphins made of lead or iron used by the
+ancient Greeks; which they suspended from beams or yards fastened to
+the mast, and which they precipitately let fall on the enemies' ships,
+in order to sink them, by beating holes through the bottoms of their
+undecked triremes, or otherwise damaging them.--PERCY.
+
+
+THE SECOND PART.
+
+ The merchant sett my lorde a glasse,
+ Soe well apparent in his sight,
+ And on the morrowe, by nine of the clocke,
+ He shewed him Sir Andrewe Barton, knight.
+ His hachebord it was hached with gold, 5
+ Soe deerlye dight it dazzled the ee;
+ "Nowe by my faith," Lord Howarde sais,
+ "This is a gallant sight to see.
+
+ "Take in your ancyents, standards eke,
+ So close that no man may them see; 10
+ And put me forth a white willowe wand,
+ As merchants use to sayle the sea."
+ But they stirred neither top nor mast;[L13]
+ Stoutly they past Sir Andrew by;
+ "What English churles are yonder," he sayd, 15
+ "That can soe litle curtesye?
+
+ "Now by the roode, three yeares and more
+ I have been admirall over the sea,
+ And never an English nor Portingall
+ Without my leave can passe this way." 20
+ Then called he forth his stout pinnàce;
+ "Fetch backe yond pedlars nowe to mee:
+ I sweare by the masse, yon English churles
+ Shall all hang att my maine-mast tree."
+
+ With that the pinnace itt shott off; 25
+ Full well Lord Howard might it ken;
+ For itt stroke down my lord's fore-mast,
+ And killed fourteen of his men.
+ "Come hither, Simon," sayes my lord,
+ "Looke that thy word be true, thou said; 30
+ For at my main-mast thou shalt hang,
+ If thou misse thy marke one shilling bread."
+
+ Simon was old, but his heart itt was bold;
+ His ordinance he laid right lowe,
+ He put in chaine full nine yardes long, 35
+ With other great shott, lesse and moe,
+ And he lette goe his great gunnes shott;
+ Soe well he settled itt with his ee,
+ The first sight that Sir Andrew sawe,
+ He see his pinnace sunke in the sea. 40
+
+ And when he saw his pinnace sunke,
+ Lord, how his heart with rage did swell!
+ "Nowe cutt my ropes, itt is time to be gon;
+ Ile fetch yond pedlars backe mysell."
+ When my lord sawe Sir Andrewe loose, 45
+ Within his heart hee was full faine;
+ "Nowe spread your ancyents, strike up drummes,
+ Sound all your trumpetts out amaine."
+
+ "Fight on, my men," Sir Andrewe sais,
+ "Weale, howsoever this geere will sway; 50
+ Itt is my lord admirall of Englànd,
+ Is come to seeke mee on the sea."
+ Simon had a sonne, who shott right well,
+ That did Sir Andrewe mickle scare;
+ In att his decke he gave a shott, 55
+ Killed threescore of his men of warre.
+
+ Then Henrye Hunt, with rigour hott,
+ Came bravely on the other side;
+ Soone he drove downe his fore-mast tree,
+ And killed fourscore men beside. 60
+ "Nowe, out alas!" Sir Andrewe cryed,
+ "What may a man now thinke or say?
+ Yonder merchant theefe, that pierceth mee,
+ He was my prisoner yesterday.
+
+ "Come hither to me, thou Gordon good, 65
+ That aye wast readye att my call;
+ I will give thee three hundred pounds,
+ If thou wilt let my beames downe fall."
+ Lord Howard hee then calld in haste,
+ "Horselye, see thou be true in stead; 70
+ For thou shalt at the maine-mast hang,
+ If thou misse twelvescore one penny bread."
+
+ Then Gordon swarved the maine-mast tree,
+ He swarved it with might and maine;
+ But Horseley with a bearing arrowe, 75
+ Stroke the Gordon through the braine;
+ And he fell unto the haches again,
+ And sore his deadlye wounde did bleede:
+ Then word went through Sir Andrews men,
+ How that the Gordon hee was dead. 80
+
+ "Come hither to mee, James Hambilton,
+ Thou art my only sisters sonne;
+ If thou wilt let my beames downe fall,
+ Six hundred nobles thou hast wonne."[L84]
+ With that he swarved the main-mast tree, 85
+ He swarved it with nimble art;
+ But Horseley with a broad arrowe
+ Pierced the Hambilton thorough the heart.
+
+ And downe he fell upon the deck,
+ That with his blood did streame amaine: 90
+ Then every Scott cryed, "Well-away!
+ Alas a comelye youth is slaine!"
+ All woe begone was Sir Andrew then,
+ With griefe and rage his heart did swell;
+ "Go fetch me forth my armour of proofe, 95
+ For I will to the topcastle mysell.
+
+ "Goe fetch me forth my armour of proofe,
+ That gilded is with gold soe cleare;
+ God be with my brother John of Barton!
+ Against the Portingalls hee it ware. 100
+ And when he had on this armour of proofe,
+ He was a gallant sight to see;
+ Ah! nere didst thou meet with living wight,
+ My deere brothèr, could cope with thee."
+
+ "Come hither, Horseley," sayes my lord, 105
+ "And looke your shaft that itt goe right;
+ Shoot a good shoote in time of need,
+ And for it thou shalt be made a knight."
+ "Ile shoot my best," quoth Horseley then, 109
+ "Your honour shall see, with might and maine;
+ But if I were hanged at your maine-mast,
+ I have now left but arrowes twaine."
+
+ Sir Andrew he did swarve the tree,
+ With right good will he swarved then,
+ Upon his breast did Horseley hitt, 115
+ But the arrow bounded back agen.
+ Then Horseley spyed a privye place,
+ With a perfect eye, in a secrette part;
+ Under the spole of his right arme
+ He smote Sir Andrew to the heart. 120
+
+ "Fight on, my men," Sir Andrew sayes,[L121]
+ "A little Ime hurt, but yett not slaine;
+ Ile but lye downe and bleede a while,
+ And then Ile rise and fight againe.
+ Fight on, my men," Sir Andrew sayes, 125
+ "And never flinche before the foe;
+ And stand fast by St. Andrewes crosse,
+ Untill you heare my whistle blowe."
+
+ They never heard his whistle blow,
+ Which made their hearts waxe sore adread: 130
+ Then Horseley sayd, "Aboard, my lord,
+ For well I wott Sir Andrew's dead."
+ They boarded then his noble shipp,
+ They boarded it with might and maine;
+ Eighteen score Scots alive they found, 135
+ The rest were either maimed or slaine.
+
+ Lord Howard tooke a sword in hand,
+ And off he smote Sir Andrewes head;
+ "I must have left England many a daye,
+ If thou wert alive as thou art dead." 140
+ He caused his body to be cast
+ Over the hatchbord into the sea,
+ And about his middle three hundred crownes:
+ "Wherever thou land, this will bury thee."
+
+ Thus from the warres Lord Howard came, 145
+ And backe he sayled ore the maine;
+ With mickle joy and triumphìng
+ Into Thames mouth he came againe.
+ Lord Howard then a letter wrote,
+ And sealed it with seale and ring; 150
+ "Such a noble prize have I brought to your grace
+ As never did subject to a king.
+
+ "Sir Andrewes shipp I bring with mee,
+ A braver shipp was never none;
+ Nowe hath your grace two shipps of warr, 155
+ Before in England was but one."[L156]
+ King Henryes grace with royall cheere
+ Welcomed the noble Howard home;
+ "And where," said he, "is this rover stout,
+ That I myselfe may give the doome?" 160
+
+ "The rover, he is safe, my leige,
+ Full many a fadom in the sea;
+ If he were alive as he is dead,
+ I must have left England many a day.
+ And your grace may thank four men i' the ship 165
+ For the victory wee have wonne;
+ These are William Horseley, Henry Hunt,
+ And Peter Simon, and his sonne."
+
+ "To Henry Hunt," the king then sayd,
+ "In lieu of what was from thee tane, 170
+ A noble a day now thou shalt have,
+ Sir Andrewes jewels and his chayne.
+ And Horseley thou shalt be a knight,
+ And lands and livings shalt have store;
+ Howard shall be Erle Surrye hight,[L175] 175
+ As Howards erst have beene before.
+
+ "Nowe, Peter Simon, thou art old,
+ I will maintaine thee and thy sonne;
+ And the men shall have five hundred markes
+ For the good service they have done." 180
+ Then in came the queene with ladyes fair,
+ To see Sir Andrewe Barton, knight;
+ They weend that hee were brought on shore,
+ And thought to have seen a gallant sight.
+
+ But when they see his deadlye face, 185
+ And eyes soe hollow in his head,
+ "I wold give," quoth the king, "a thousand markes,
+ This man were alive as hee is dead.
+ Yett for the manfull part hee playd,
+ Which fought soe well with heart and hand, 190
+ His men shall have twelvepence a day,
+ Till they come to my brother kings high land."
+
+13. i.e. did not salute.
+
+84. pounds. MS.
+
+121-4. This stanza occurs also in _Johnie Armstrang_, vol. vi. p. 44.
+
+156. That is the Great Harry, built in 1504, at an expense of fourteen
+thousand pounds. "She was," says Hume, "properly speaking, the first
+ship in the English navy. Before this period, when the prince wanted a
+fleet, he had no other expedient than hiring or pressing ships from
+the merchants."
+
+175-6. ... Erle of Nottingham, And soe was never, &c. MS.
+
+
+
+
+FLODDEN FIELD.
+
+From Ritson's _Ancient Songs_, ii. 70.
+
+
+"The battle of Flodden, in Northumberland, was fought the 9th of
+September, 1513, being the fifth year of King Henry the Eighth (who,
+with a great army, was then before Terouen in France), between Thomas
+Howard, Earl of Surrey, commander-in-chief of the English forces, and
+James the Fourth, King of Scots, with an inferior army of 15,000 men,
+who were entirely routed with great slaughter, their heroic sovereign
+being left dead upon the field.
+
+"The following ballad may possibly be as ancient as any thing we have
+on the subject. It is given from _The most pleasant and delectible
+history of John Winchcomb, otherwise called Jack of Newberry_, written
+by Thomas Deloney, who thus speaks of it: 'In disgrace of the Scots,
+and in remembrance of the famous atchieved victory, the commons of
+England made this song, which to this day is not forgotten of many.'"
+
+This ballad is very evidently not the work of Deloney, but derived by
+him from tradition.
+
+There is a piece called _Flodden Field_ in Herd's _Scottish Songs_, i.
+86. It is made up of certain ridiculous anonymous verses, and of the
+stanzas written by Miss Jane Elliot and by Mrs. Cockburn to the old
+air _The Flowers of the Forest_,--"I've heard them lilting," and "I've
+seen the smiling." The first and last lines of the first stanza of
+Miss Elliot's verses are from an ancient and now forgotten song.
+
+ "I've heard them lilting at the ewes milking
+ .........
+ .........
+ The flowers of the forest are a' wede away."
+
+A lady repeated to Sir Walter Scott another fragment of the original
+ballad.
+
+ "I ride single on my saddle,
+ For the flowers of the forest are a' wede away."
+
+ _Minstrelsy_, iii. 333.
+
+
+ King Jamie hath made a vow,
+ Keep it well if he may!
+ That he will be at lovely London
+ Upon Saint James his day.
+
+ "Upon Saint James his day at noon, 5
+ At fair London will I be,
+ And all the lords in merry Scotland,
+ They shall dine there with me."
+
+ Then bespake good Queen Margaret,
+ The tears fell from her eye: 10
+ "Leave off these wars, most noble king,
+ Keep your fidelity.
+
+ "The water runs swift and wondrous deep
+ From bottom unto the brim;
+ My brother Henry hath men good enough, 15
+ England is hard to win."
+
+ "Away," quoth he, "with this silly fool!
+ In prison fast let her lye:
+ For she is come of the English blood,
+ And for these words she shall die." 20
+
+ With that bespake Lord Thomas Howard,
+ The Queens chamberlain that day;
+ "If that you put Queen Margaret to death,
+ Scotland shall rue it alway."
+
+ Then in a rage King Jamie did say, 25
+ "Away with this foolish mome!
+ He shall be hang'd, and the other burn'd,
+ So soon as I come home."
+
+ At Flodden-field the Scots came in,
+ Which made our Englishmen fain; 30
+ At Bramstone-green this battel was seen,
+ There was King Jamie slain.
+
+ Then presently the Scots did fly,
+ Their cannons they left behind;
+ Their ensigns gay were won all away, 35
+ Our souldiers did beat them blind.
+
+ To tell you plain, twelve thousand were slain
+ That to the fight did stand,
+ And many a prisoner took that day,
+ The best in all Scotland. 40
+
+ That day made many a fatherless child,[L41]
+ And many a widow poor,
+ And many a Scottish gay lady
+ Sate weeping in her bower.[L44]
+
+ Jack with a fether was lapt all in lether, 45
+ His boastings were all in vain;
+ He had such a chance with [a] new morrice-dance,
+ He never went home again.
+
+41-44. This stanza is the sixth in Deloney's copy, and is there clearly
+misplaced.
+
+44. sweeping.
+
+
+
+
+QUEEN JEANIE.
+
+
+Jane Seymour, queen of Henry VIII., died shortly after giving birth to
+Prince Edward (Oct. 1537). There was a report that the Cæsarian
+operation had been necessary to effect the delivery, and on this story
+the present ballad is founded.
+
+There is a woful ditty on this subject in _The Crown Garland of Golden
+Roses_, Percy Society, vol. vi. p. 29 (or _Collection of Old Ballads_,
+ii. 115). The following piece is popular throughout Scotland. It is
+taken from Kinloch's _Ancient Scottish Ballads_, p. 116. A fragment
+had been previously published in Jamieson's _Popular Ballads_, i. 182.
+We have added another, but imperfect, version from a recent
+publication.
+
+ Queen Jeanie, Queen Jeanie, travel'd six weeks and more,
+ Till women and midwives had quite gi'en her o'er;
+ "O if ye were women as women should be,
+ Ye would send for a doctor, a doctor to me!"
+
+ The doctor was called for and set by her bedside, 5
+ "What aileth thee, my ladie, thine eyes seem so red?"
+ "O doctor, O doctor, will ye do this for me,
+ To rip up my two sides, and save my babie?"
+
+ "Queen Jeanie, Queen Jeanie, that's the thing I'll ne'er do,
+ To rip up your two sides to save your babie:" 10
+ Queen Jeanie, Queen Jeanie, travel'd six weeks and more,
+ Till midwives and doctors had quite gi'en her o'er.
+
+ "O if ye were doctors as doctors should be,
+ Ye would send for King Henry, King Henry to me:"
+ King Henry was called for, and sat by her bedside, 15
+ "What aileth thee, Jeanie, what aileth my bride?"
+
+ "King Henry, King Henry, will ye do this for me,
+ To rip up my two sides, and save my babie?"
+ "Queen Jeanie, Queen Jeanie, that's what I'll never do,
+ To rip up your two sides to save your babie." 20
+
+ But with sighing and sobbing she's fallen in a swoon,
+ Her side it was ript up, and her babie was found;
+ At this bonie babie's christ'ning there was meikle joy and mirth,
+ But bonnie Queen Jeanie lies cold in the earth.
+
+ Six and six coaches, and six and six more, 25
+ And royal King Henry went mourning before;
+ O two and two gentlemen carried her away,
+ But royal King Henry went weeping away.
+
+ O black were their stockings, and black were their bands,
+ And black were the weapons they held in their hands; 30
+ O black were their mufflers, and black were their shoes,
+ And black were the cheverons they drew on their luves.
+
+ They mourned in the kitchen, and they mourn'd in the ha',
+ But royal King Henry mourn'd langest of a'.
+ Farewell to fair England, farewell for evermore, 35
+ For the fair flower of England will never shine more!
+
+
+
+
+THE DEATH OF QUEEN JANE.
+
+
+From _Ancient Poems, Ballads, and Songs of the Peasantry of England_,
+edited by Robert Bell, p. 113. Taken down from the singing of a young
+gipsy girl.
+
+
+ Queen Jane was in travail for six weeks or more,
+ Till the women grew tired and fain would give o'er,
+ "O women, O women, good wives if ye be,
+ Go send for King Henrie, and bring him to me!"
+
+ King Henrie was sent for, he came with all speed, 5
+ In a gownd of green velvet from heel to the head;
+ "King Henrie, King Henrie, if kind Henrie you be,
+ Send for a surgeon, and bring him to me!"
+
+ The surgeon was sent for, he came with all speed,
+ In a gownd of black velvet from heel to the head; 10
+ He gave her rich caudle, but the death-sleep slept she,
+ Then her right side was opened, and the babe was set free.
+
+ The babe it was christened, and put out and nursed,
+ While the royal Queen Jane she lay cold in the dust.
+
+ * * * * *
+
+ So black was the mourning, and white were the wands, 15
+ Yellow, yellow the torches they bore in their hands;
+ The bells they were muffled, and mournful did play,
+ While the royal Queen Jane she lay cold in the clay.
+
+ Six knights and six lords bore her corpse through the grounds,
+ Six dukes followed after, in black mourning gownds, 20
+ The flower of Old England was laid in cold clay,
+ Whilst the royal King Henrie came weeping away.
+
+
+
+
+THE MURDER OF THE KING OF SCOTS.
+
+_Reliques of Ancient English Poetry_, ii. 210.
+
+
+"The catastrophe of Henry Stewart, Lord Darnley, the unfortunate
+husband of Mary Queen of Scots, is the subject of this ballad. It is
+here related in that partial imperfect manner, in which such an event
+would naturally strike the subjects of another kingdom, of which he
+was a native. Henry appears to have been a vain, capricious, worthless
+young man, of weak understanding, and dissolute morals. But the
+beauty of his person, and the inexperience of his youth, would dispose
+mankind to treat him with an indulgence, which the cruelty of his
+murder would afterwards convert into the most tender pity and regret:
+and then imagination would not fail to adorn his memory with all those
+virtues he ought to have possessed.
+
+"Darnley, who had been born and educated in England, was but in his
+21st year when he was murdered, Feb. 9, 1567-8. This crime was
+perpetrated by the Earl of Bothwell, not out of respect to the memory
+of Riccio, but in order to pave the way for his own marriage with the
+queen.
+
+"This ballad (printed, with a few corrections, from the Editor's folio
+MS.) seems to have been written soon after Mary's escape into England
+in 1568, see v. 65.--It will be remembered, at v. 5, that this
+princess was Queen Dowager of France, having been first married to
+Francis II., who died Dec. 4, 1560."--PERCY.
+
+
+ Woe worth, woe worth thee, false Scotlànde!
+ For thou hast ever wrought by sleight;
+ The worthyest prince that ever was borne,
+ You hanged under a cloud by night.
+
+ The Queene of France a letter wrote, 5
+ And sealed itt with harte and ringe;
+ And bade him come Scotland within,
+ And shee wold marry and crowne him kinge.
+
+ To be a king is a pleasant thing,
+ To bee a prince unto a peere: 10
+ But you have heard, and soe have I too,
+ A man may well buy gold too deare.
+
+ There was an Italyan in that place,
+ Was as well beloved as ever was hee,
+ Lord David [Rizzio] was his name, 15
+ Chamberlaine to the queene was hee.
+
+ If the king had risen forth of his place,
+ He wold have sate him downe in the cheare,
+ And tho itt beseemed him not so well,
+ Altho the kinge had beene present there. 20
+
+ Some lords in Scotlande waxed wrothe,
+ And quarrelled with him for the nonce;
+ I shall you tell how it befell,
+ Twelve daggers were in him att once.
+
+ When the queene saw her chamberlaine was slaine, 25
+ For him her faire cheeks shee did weete,
+ And made a vowe, for a yeare and a day
+ The king and shee wold not come in one sheete.
+
+ Then some of the lords they waxed wrothe,
+ And made their vow all vehementlye, 30
+ For the death of the queenes chamberlaine,
+ The king himselfe, how he shall dye.
+
+ With gun-powder they strewed his roome,
+ And layd greene rushes in his way;
+ For the traitors thought that very night 35
+ This worthye king for to betray.
+
+ To bedd the king he made him bowne;
+ To take his rest was his desire;
+ He was noe sooner cast on sleepe,
+ But his chamber was on a blasing fire. 40
+
+ Up he lope, and the window brake,
+ And hee had thirtye foote to fall;
+ Lord Bodwell kept a privy watch,
+ Underneath his castle wall.
+
+ "Who have wee here?" Lord Bodwell sayd; 45
+ "Now answer me, that I may know."
+ "King Henry the eighth my uncle was;
+ For his sweete sake some pitty show."
+
+ "Who have we here?" Lord Bodwell sayd;
+ "Now answer me when I doe speake." 50
+ "Ah, Lord Bodwell, I know thee well;
+ Some pitty on me I pray thee take."
+
+ "Ile pitty thee as much," he sayd,
+ "And as much favor show to thee,
+ As thou didst to the queenes chamberlaine, 55
+ That day thou deemedst him to die."
+
+ Through halls and towers the king they ledd,
+ Through towers and castles that were nye,
+ Through an arbor into an orchàrd,
+ There on a peare-tree hanged him hye. 60
+
+ When the governor of Scotland heard
+ How that the worthye king was slaine,
+ He persued the queen so bitterlye,
+ That in Scotland shee dare not remaine.
+
+ But shee is fledd into merry England, 65
+ And here her residence hath taine,
+ And through the Queene of Englands grace,
+ In England now shee doth remaine.
+
+
+
+
+THE RISING IN THE NORTH.
+
+Percy's _Reliques_, i. 285.
+
+
+The subject of this ballad is the insurrection of the Earls of
+Northumberland and Westmoreland, in the twelfth year of Queen
+Elizabeth, 1569.
+
+These two noblemen were the leaders of the Catholic party in the North
+of England, and interested themselves warmly in various projects to
+restore Mary Stuart to her liberty. When a marriage was proposed
+between the Duke of Norfolk and the Scottish Queen, they, with many of
+the first persons in the kingdom, entered zealously into the scheme,
+having the ulterior view, according to Hume, of placing Mary on the
+throne of England. Norfolk endeavored to conceal his plans from
+Elizabeth, until he should form a combination powerful enough to
+extort her consent, but the Queen received information betimes, and
+committed the Duke to the Tower. Several of his abettors were also
+taken into custody, and the two Northern Earls were summoned to appear
+at court, to answer to the charge of an intended rebellion. They had
+proceeded too far to trust themselves willingly in the hands of their
+enraged sovereign, and the summons precipitated them into an
+insurrection for which they were not prepared. They hastily gathered
+their followers, and published a manifesto, in which they declared
+that they maintained an unshaken allegiance to the Queen, and sought
+only to reëstablish the religion of their ancestors, and to restore
+the Duke of Norfolk to liberty and to the Queen's favor.
+
+"Their common banner (on which was displayed the cross, together with
+the five wounds of Christ,) was borne by an ancient gentleman, Richard
+Norton, Esq., of Norton-Conyers: who with his sons (among whom,
+Christopher, Marmaduke, and Thomas, are expressly named by Camden)
+distinguished himself on this occasion. Having entered Durham, they
+tore the Bible, &c, and caused mass to be said there: they then
+marched on to Clifford Moor near Wetherbye, where they mustered their
+men. Their intention was to have proceeded on to York; but, altering
+their minds, they fell upon Barnard's castle, which Sir George Bowes
+held out against them for eleven days."--PERCY.
+
+The insurgents' army amounted to about six thousand men. The Earl of
+Sussex, supported by Lord Hunsdon and others, marched against them
+with seven thousand, and the Earl of Warwick with still greater
+forces. Before these superior numbers the rebels dispersed without
+striking a blow. Northumberland fled to the Scots, by whom, as we
+shall see in the next ballad, he was betrayed to Elizabeth. The Earl
+of Westmoreland escaped to Flanders, and died there in penury.
+
+Another outbreak following close upon the above was suppressed by Lord
+Hunsdon. Great cruelties were exercised by the victorious party, no
+less than eight hundred having, it is said, suffered by the hands of
+the executioner.
+
+The ballad was printed by Percy from two MS. copies, one of them in
+the editor's folio collection. "They contained considerable
+variations, out of which such readings were chosen as seemed most
+poetical and consonant to history."
+
+"The Fate of the Nortons," we need hardly say, forms the subject of
+Wordsworth's _White Doe of Rylstone_.
+
+
+ Listen, lively lordlings all,
+ Lithe and listen unto mee,
+ And I will sing of a noble earle,
+ The noblest earle in the north countrìe.
+
+ Earle Percy is into his garden gone, 5
+ And after him walkes his faire ladìe:
+ "I heard a bird sing in mine eare,
+ That I must either fight or flee."
+
+ "Now heaven forefend, my dearest lord,
+ That ever such harm should hap to thee; 10
+ But goe to London to the court,
+ And faire fall truth and honestìe."
+
+ "Now nay, now nay, my ladye gay,
+ Alas! thy counsell suits not mee;
+ Mine enemies prevail so fast, 15
+ That at the court I may not bee."
+
+ "O goe to the court yet, good my lord,
+ And take thy gallant men with thee;
+ If any dare to doe you wrong,
+ Then your warrant they may bee." 20
+
+ "Now nay, now nay, thou lady faire,
+ The court is full of subtiltie;
+ And if I goe to the court, lady,
+ Never more I may thee see."
+
+ "Yet goe to the court, my lord," she sayes, 25
+ "And I myselfe will ride wi' thee:
+ At court then for my dearest lord,
+ His faithfull borrowe I will bee."
+
+ Now nay, now nay, my lady deare;
+ Far lever had I lose my life, 30
+ Than leave among my cruell foes
+ My love in jeopardy and strife.
+
+ "But come thou hither, my little foot-page,
+ Come thou hither unto mee;
+ To maister Norton thou must goe 35
+ In all the haste that ever may bee.
+
+ "Commend me to that gentleman,
+ And beare this letter here fro mee;
+ And say that earnestly I praye,
+ He will ryde in my companie." 40
+
+ One while the little foot-page went,
+ And another while he ran;
+ Untill he came to his journeys end
+ The little foot-page never blan.
+
+ When to that gentleman he came, 45
+ Down he kneeled on his knee,
+ And tooke the letter betwixt his hands,
+ And lett the gentleman it see.
+
+ And when the letter it was redd
+ Affore that goodlye companye, 50
+ I-wis, if you the truthe wold know,
+ There was many a weepynge eye.
+
+ He sayd, "Come hither, Christopher Norton,
+ A gallant youth thou seemst to bee;
+ What doest thou counsell me, my sonne,
+ Now that good erle's in jeopardy?" 55
+
+ "Father, my counselle's fair and free;
+ That erle he is a noble lord,
+ And whatsoever to him you hight,
+ I wold not have you breake your word." 60
+
+ "Gramercy, Christopher, my sonne,
+ Thy counsell well it liketh mee,
+ And if we speed and scape with life,
+ Well advanced shalt thou bee."
+
+ "Come you hither, mine nine good sonnes,[L65] 65
+ Gallant men I trowe you bee:
+ How many of you, my children deare,
+ Will stand by that good erle and mee?"
+
+ Eight of them did answer make,
+ Eight of them spake hastilie, 70
+ "O father, till the daye we dye
+ We'll stand by that good erle and thee."
+
+ "Gramercy now, my children deare,
+ You showe yourselves right bold and brave;
+ And whethersoe'er I live or dye, 75
+ A fathers blessing you shal have."
+
+ "But what sayst thou, O Francis Norton?
+ Thou art mine oldest sonn and heire;
+ Somewhat lyes brooding in thy breast;
+ Whatever it bee, to mee declare." 80
+
+ "Father, you are an aged man;
+ Your head is white, your bearde is gray;
+ It were a shame at these your yeares
+ For you to ryse in such a fray."
+
+ "Now fye upon thee, coward Francis, 85
+ Thou never learnedst this of mee;
+ When thou wert yong and tender of age,
+ Why did I make soe much of thee?"
+
+ "But, father, I will wend with you,
+ Unarm'd and naked will I bee; 90
+ And he that strikes against the crowne,
+ Ever an ill death may he dee."
+
+ Then rose that reverend gentleman,
+ And with him came a goodlye band,
+ To join with the brave Erle Percy, 95
+ And all the flower o' Northumberland.
+
+ With them the noble Nevill came,
+ The erle of Westmorland was hee:
+ At Wetherbye they mustred their host,
+ Thirteen thousand faire to see. 100
+
+ Lord Westmorland his ancyent raisde,
+ The Dun Bull he rays'd on hye,[L102]
+ And three Dogs with golden collars
+ Were there sett out most royallye.
+
+ Erie Percy there his ancyent spred, 105
+ The Halfe-Moone shining all soe faire:[L106]
+ The Nortons ancyent had the crosse,
+ And the five wounds our Lord did beare.
+
+ Then Sir George Bowes he straitwaye rose,
+ After them some spoyle to make; 110
+ Those noble erles turn'd backe againe,
+ And aye they vowed that knight to take.
+
+ That baron he to his castle fled
+ To Barnard castle then fled hee;
+ The uttermost walles were eathe to win, 115
+ The earles have won them presentlìe.
+
+ The uttermost walles were lime and bricke,
+ But thoughe they won them soon anone,
+ Long e'er they wan the innermost walles,
+ For they were cut in rocke of stone. 120
+
+ Then newes unto leeve London came,
+ In all the speede that ever might bee,
+ And word is brought to our royall queene
+ Of the rysing in the North countrie.
+
+ Her grace she turned her round about, 125
+ And like a royall queene shee swore,
+ "I will ordayne them such a breakfast,
+ As never was in the North before."
+
+ Shee caus'd thirty thousand men be rays'd,
+ With horse and harneis faire to see; 130
+ She caused thirty thousand men be raised,
+ To take the earles i' th' North countrie.
+
+ Wi' them the false Erle Warwick went,
+ Th' Erle Sussex and the Lord Hunsden;
+ Untill they to Yorke castle came,
+ I-wiss they never stint ne blan. 135
+
+ Now spred thy ancyent, Westmorland,
+ Thy dun bull faine would we spye:
+ And thou, the Erle o' Northumberland,
+ Now rayse thy half moone up on hye. 140
+
+ But the dun bulle is fled and gone,
+ And the halfe moone vanished away:
+ The erles, though they were brave and bold,
+ Against soe many could not stay.
+
+ Thee, Norton, wi' thine eight good sonnes, 145
+ They doom'd to dye, alas for ruth!
+ Thy reverend lockes thee could not save,
+ Nor them their faire and blooming youthe.
+
+ Wi' them full many a gallant wight
+ They cruellye bereav'd of life: 150
+ And many a childe made fatherlesse,
+ And widowed many a tender wife.
+
+65. The Act of Attainder, 13th Elizabeth, only mentions Richard Norton,
+the father, and _seven_ sons, and in "a list of the rebels in the late
+Northern rebellion that are fled beyond seas," the same seven sons are
+named. Richard Norton, the father, was living long after the rebellion
+in Spanish Flanders. See Sharp's _Bishoprick Garland_, p. 10.
+
+102. The supporters of the Nevilles Earls of Westmoreland were two bulls
+argent, ducally collar'd gold, armed or, &c. But I have not discovered
+the device mentioned in the ballad, among the badges, &c., given by that
+house. This however is certain, that, among those of the Nevilles, Lord
+Abergavenny (who were of the same family), is a dun cow with a golden
+collar; and the Nevilles of Chyte in Yorkshire (of the Westmoreland
+branch), gave for their crest, in 1513, a dog's (greyhound's) head
+erased.--So that it is not improbable but Charles Neville, the unhappy
+Earl of Westmoreland here mentioned, might on this occasion give the
+above device on his banner.--After all, our old minstrel's verses here
+may have undergone some corruption; for, in another ballad in the same
+folio MS., and apparently written by the same hand, containing the
+sequel of this Lord Westmoreland's history, his banner is thus
+described, more conformable to his known bearings:
+
+ "_Sett me up my faire Dun Bull,
+ With Gilden Hornes, hee beares all soe hye_."--P.
+
+106. The Silver Crescent is a well-known crest or badge of the
+Northumberland family. It was probably brought home from some of the
+crusades against the Sarazens.--P.
+
+
+
+
+NORTHUMBERLAND BETRAYED BY DOUGLAS.
+
+Percy's _Reliques_, i. 295.
+
+
+The Earls of Northumberland and Westmoreland, after the dispersion of
+their forces took refuge with the Scots on the Borders. The Elliots
+drove them from Liddesdale, and they sought the protection of the
+Armstrongs in the Debatable Land. Northumberland took up his residence
+with a man of that tribe called Hector of Harlaw, relying on his
+plighted faith and on his gratitude for many past favors. By this
+miscreant the Earl was betrayed for money to the Regent Murray. He was
+confined in Lochleven Castle until 1572, when he was handed over to
+Lord Hunsden, and executed at York.
+
+We are assured that this Hector, who had been rich, fell into poverty
+after his treachery, and became so infamous that "to take Hector's
+cloak" was a proverb for a man who betrayed his friend.
+
+In Pinkerton's _Poems from the Maitland MS_. (pp. 219-234) are three
+bitter invectives on this subject. In one of these we are told that
+the traitor Eckie of Harlaw said he sold the Earl "to redeem his
+pledge," that is, says Scott, the pledge which had been exacted from
+him for his peaceable demeanor.
+
+"The interposal of the Witch-Lady (v. 53)" hath some countenance from
+history; for, about twenty-five years before, the Lady Jane Douglas,
+Lady Glamis, sister of the Earl of Angus, and nearly related to
+Douglas of Lough-leven, had suffered death for the pretended crime of
+witchcraft; who, it is presumed, is the witch-lady alluded to in verse
+133.
+
+"The following is selected (like the former) from two copies, which
+contained great variations; one of them in the Editor's folio MS. In
+the other copy some of the stanzas at the beginning of this ballad are
+nearly the same with what in that MS. are made to begin another ballad
+on the escape of the Earl of Westmoreland, who got safe into Flanders,
+and is feigned in the ballad to have undergone a great variety of
+adventures."--PERCY.
+
+
+ "How long shall fortune faile me nowe,
+ And harrowe me with fear and dread?
+ How long shall I in bale abide,
+ In misery my life to lead?
+
+ "To fall from my bliss, alas the while! 5
+ It was my sore and heavye lott;
+ And I must leave my native land,
+ And I must live a man forgot.
+
+ "One gentle Armstrong I doe ken,
+ A Scot he is, much bound to mee; 10
+ He dwelleth on the Border side,
+ To him I'll goe right privilie."
+
+ Thus did the noble Percy 'plaine,
+ With a heavy heart and wel-away,
+ When he with all his gallant men 15
+ On Bramham moor had lost the day.
+
+ But when he to the Armstrongs came,
+ They dealt with him all treacherouslye;
+ For they did strip that noble earle,
+ And ever an ill death may they dye! 20
+
+ False Hector to Earl Murray sent,
+ To shew him where his guest did hide,
+ Who sent him to the Lough-levèn,
+ With William Douglas to abide.
+
+ And when he to the Douglas came, 25
+ He halched him right courteouslie;
+ Say'd, "Welcome, welcome, noble earle,
+ Here thou shalt safelye bide with mee."
+
+ When he had in Lough-leven been
+ Many a month and many a day, 30
+ To the regent the lord warden sent,
+ That bannisht earle for to betray.
+
+ He offered him great store of gold,
+ And wrote a letter fair to see,
+ Saying, "Good my lord, grant me my boon, 35
+ And yield that banisht man to mee."
+
+ Earle Percy at the supper sate,
+ With many a goodly gentleman;
+ The wylie Douglas then bespake,
+ And thus to flyte with him began. 40
+
+ "What makes you be so sad, my lord,
+ And in your mind so sorrowfullye?
+ To-morrow a shootinge will bee held
+ Among the lords of the North countrye.
+
+ "The butts are sett, the shooting's made, 45
+ And there will be great royaltye;
+ And I am sworne into my bille,
+ Thither to bring my Lord Percye."
+
+ "I'll give thee my hand, thou gentle Douglas,
+ And here by my true faith," quoth hee, 50
+ "If thou wilt ryde to the worldes end
+ I will ryde in thy companye."
+
+ And then bespake a lady faire,
+ Mary à Douglas was her name;
+ "You shall byde here, good English lord, 55
+ My brother is a traiterous man.
+
+ "He is a traitor stout and stronge,
+ As I tell you in privitie;
+ For he hath tane liverance of the erle,[L59]
+ Into England nowe to 'liver thee." 60
+
+ "Now nay, now nay, thou goodly lady,
+ The regent is a noble lord:
+ Ne for the gold in all Englànd
+ The Douglas wold not break his word.
+
+ "When the regent was a banisht man, 65
+ With me he did faire welcome find;
+ And whether weal or woe betide,
+ I still shall find him true and kind.
+
+ "Between England and Scotland it wold breake truce,
+ And friends againe they wold never bee, 70
+ If they shold 'liver a banisht erle,
+ Was driven out of his own countrie."
+
+ "Alas! alas! my lord," she sayes,
+ "Nowe mickle is their traitorie;
+ Then lett my brother ryde his wayes, 75
+ And tell those English lords from thee,
+
+ "How that you cannot with him ryde,
+ Because you are in an ile of the sea,[L78]
+ Then ere my brother come againe,
+ To Edenborow castle Ile carry thee. 80
+
+ "To the Lord Hume I will thee bring;
+ He is well knowne a true Scots lord,
+ And he will lose both land and life,
+ Ere he with thee will break his word."
+
+ "Much is my woe," Lord Percy sayd, 85
+ "When I thinke on my own countrìe,
+ When I thinke on the heavye happe
+ My friends have suffered there for mee.
+
+ "Much is my woe," Lord Percy sayd,
+ "And sore those wars my minde distresse; 90
+ Where many a widow lost her mate,
+ And many a child was fatherlesse.
+
+ "And now that I a banisht man
+ Shold bring such evil happe with mee,
+ To cause my faire and noble friends 95
+ To be suspect of treacherie,
+
+ "This rives my heart with double woe;
+ And lever had I dye this day,
+ Than thinke a Douglas can be false,
+ Or ever he will his guest betray." 100
+
+ "If you'll give me no trust, my lord,
+ Nor unto mee no credence yield,
+ Yet step one moment here aside,
+ Ile showe you all your foes in field."
+
+ "Lady, I never loved witchcraft, 105
+ Never dealt in privy wyle;
+ But evermore held the high-waye
+ Of truth and honour, free from guile."
+
+ "If you'll not come yourselfe, my lorde,
+ Yet send your chamberlaine with mee, 110
+ Let me but speak three words with him,
+ And he shall come again to thee."
+
+ James Swynard with that lady went,
+ She showed him through the weme of her ring
+ How many English lords there were 115
+ Waiting for his master and him.
+
+ "And who walkes yonder, my good lady,
+ So royallye on yonder greene?"
+ "O yonder is the Lord Hunsden:[L119]
+ Alas! he'll doe you drie and teene." 120
+
+ "And who beth yonder, thou gay ladye,
+ That walkes so proudly him beside?"
+ "That is Sir William Drury," shee sayd,[L123]
+ "A keene captaine hee is and tryde."
+
+ "How many miles is itt, madàme, 125
+ Betwixt yond English lords and mee?"
+ "Marry, it is thrice fifty miles,
+ To saile to them upon the sea.
+
+ "I never was on English ground,
+ Ne never sawe it with mine eye, 130
+ But as my book it sheweth mee,
+ And through my ring I may descrye.
+
+ "My mother shee was a witch ladye,
+ And of her skille she learned mee;
+ She wold let me see out of Lough-leven 135
+ What they did in London citìe."
+
+ "But who is yond, thou lady faire,
+ That looketh with sic an austerne face?"
+ "Yonder is Sir John Foster," quoth shee,[L139]
+ "Alas! he'll do ye sore disgrace." 140
+
+ He pulled his hatt downe over his browe;
+ He wept, in his heart he was full of woe;
+ And he is gone to his noble lord,
+ Those sorrowful tidings him to show.
+
+ "Now nay, now nay, good James Swynàrd, 145
+ I may not believe that witch ladìe;
+ The Douglasses were ever true,
+ And they can ne'er prove false to mee.
+
+ "I have now in Lough-leven been
+ The most part of these years three, 150
+ Yett have I never had noe outrake,
+ Ne no good games that I cold see.
+
+ "Therefore I'll to yond shooting wend,
+ As to the Douglas I have hight:
+ Betide me weale, betide me woe, 155
+ He ne'er shall find my promise light."
+
+ He writhe a gold ring from his finger,
+ And gave itt to that gay ladìe:
+ Sayes, "It was all that I cold save,
+ In Harley woods where I cold bee." 160
+
+ "And wilt thou goe, thou noble lord?
+ Then farewell truth and honestìe,
+ And farewell heart, and farewell hand,
+ For never more I shall thee see."
+
+ The wind was faire, the boatmen call'd, 165
+ And all the saylors were on borde;
+ Then William Douglas took to his boat,
+ And with him went that noble lord.
+
+ Then he cast up a silver wand,
+ Says, "Gentle lady, fare thee well!" 170
+ The lady fett a sigh soe deep,
+ And in a dead swoone down shee fell.
+
+ "Now let us goe back, Douglas," he sayd,
+ "A sickness hath taken yond faire ladìe;
+ If ought befall yond lady but good, 175
+ Then blamed for ever I shall bee."
+
+ "Come on, come on, my lord," he sayes,
+ "Come on, come on, and let her bee;
+ There's ladyes enow in Lough-leven
+ For to cheere that gay ladìe." 180
+
+ "If you'll not turne yourself, my lord,
+ Let me goe with my chamberlaine;
+ We will but comfort that faire lady,
+ And wee will return to you againe."
+
+ "Come on, come on, my lord," he sayes, 185
+ "Come on, come on, and let her bee;
+ My sister is craftye, and wold beguile
+ A thousand such as you and mee."
+
+ "When they had sayled fifty myle,
+ Now fifty mile upon the sea, 190
+ Hee sent his man to ask the Douglas,
+ When they shold that shooting see."
+
+ "Faire words," quoth he, "they make fooles faine,
+ And that by thee and thy lord is seen;
+ You may hap to thinke itt soone enough, 195
+ Ere you that shooting reach, I ween."
+
+ Jamye his hatt pulled over his browe,
+ He thought his lord then was betray'd;
+ And he is to Erle Percy againe,
+ To tell him what the Douglas sayd. 200
+
+ "Hold upp thy head, man," quoth his lord,
+ "Nor therefore lett thy courage fayle;
+ He did it but to prove thy heart,
+ To see if he cold make it quail."
+
+ When they had other fifty sayld, 205
+ Other fifty mile upon the sea,
+ Lord Percy called to Douglas himselfe,
+ Sayd, "What wilt thou nowe doe with mee?"
+
+ "Looke that your brydle be wight, my lord,
+ And your horse goe swift as shipp att sea; 210
+ Looke that your spurres be bright and sharpe,
+ That you may pricke her while shee'll away."
+
+ "What needeth this, Douglas?" he sayth;
+ "What needest thou to flyte with mee?
+ For I was counted a horseman good 215
+ Before that ever I mett with thee.
+
+ "A false Hector hath my horse,
+ Who dealt with mee so treacherouslìe;
+ A false Armstrong hath my spurres,
+ And all the geere belongs to mee." 220
+
+ When they had sayled other fifty mile,
+ Other fifty mile upon the sea,
+ They landed low by Berwicke side,
+ A deputed laird landed Lord Percye.[L224]
+
+ Then he at Yorke was doomde to die, 225
+ It was, alas! a sorrowful sight;
+ Thus they betrayed that noble earle,
+ Who ever was a gallant wight.
+
+59. Of the Earl of Morton, the Regent.--P.
+
+78. i. e. Lake of Leven, which hath communication with the sea.
+Edinburgh was at that time in the hands of the opposite faction.--P.
+
+119. The Lord Warden of the East Marches.--P.
+
+123. Governor of Berwick.--P.
+
+139. Warden of the Middle-march.--P.
+
+224. fol. MS. reads _land_, and has not the following stanza.
+
+
+
+
+KING OF SCOTS AND ANDREW BROWNE.
+
+From _Reliques of English Poetry_, ii. 217.
+
+
+"This ballad is a proof of the little intercourse that subsisted
+between the Scots and English, before the accession of James I. to the
+crown of England. The tale which is here so circumstantially related,
+does not appear to have had the least foundation in history, but was
+probably built upon some confused hearsay report of the tumults in
+Scotland during the minority of that prince, and of the conspiracies
+formed by different factions to get possession of his person. It
+should seem from ver. 97 to have been written during the regency, or
+at least before the death, of the Earl of Morton, who was condemned
+and executed June 2, 1581; when James was in his fifteenth year.
+
+"The original copy (preserved in the archives of the Antiquarian
+Society, London,) is entitled, _A new ballad, declaring the great
+treason conspired against the young king of Scots, and how one Andrew
+Browne, an English-man, which was the king's chamberlaine, prevented
+the same. To the tune of Milfield, or els to Green-sleeves_. At the
+end is subjoined the name of the author, W. Elderton. 'Imprinted at
+London for Yarathe James, dwelling in Newgate Market, over against Ch.
+Church,' in black-letter folio."--PERCY.
+
+This ballad was licensed to James on the 30th of May, 1581.
+
+ Out alas! what a griefe is this,
+ That princes subjects cannot be true,
+ But still the devill hath some of his,
+ Will play their parts whatsoever ensue;
+ Forgetting what a grievous thing 5
+ It is to offend the anointed king!
+ Alas for woe, why should it be so?
+ This makes a sorrowful heigh ho.
+
+ In Scotland is a bonnie kinge,
+ As proper a youth as neede to be, 10
+ Well given to every happy thing,
+ That can be in a kinge to see:
+ Yet that unluckie country still,
+ Hath people given to craftie will.
+ Alas for woe, &c. 15
+
+ On Whitsun eve it so befell,
+ A posset was made to give the king,
+ Whereof his ladie nurse hard tell,
+ And that it was a poysoned thing:
+ She cryed, and called piteouslie, 20
+ "Now help, or else the king shall die!"
+ Alas for woe, &c.
+
+ One Browne, that was an English man,
+ And hard the ladies piteous crye,
+ Out with his sword, and bestir'd him than, 25
+ Out of the doores in haste to flie;
+ But all the doores were made so fast,
+ Out of a window he got at last.
+ Alas for woe, &c.
+
+ He met the bishop coming fast, 30
+ Having the posset in his hande:
+ The sight of Browne made him aghast,
+ Who bad him stoutly staie and stand.
+ With him were two that ranne awa,
+ For feare that Browne would make a fray. 35
+ Alas, for woe, &c.
+
+ "Bishop," quoth Browne, "what hast thou there?"
+ "Nothing at all, my friend," sayde he,
+ "But a posset to make the king good cheere."
+ "Is it so?" sayd Browne, "that will I see. 40
+ First I will have thyself begin,
+ Before thou go any further in;
+ Be it weale or woe, it shall be so.
+ This makes a sorrowful heigh ho."
+
+ The bishop sayde, "Browne, I doo know, 45
+ Thou art a young man poore and bare;
+ Livings on thee I will bestowe;
+ Let me go on, take thou no care."
+ "No, no," quoth Browne, "I will not be
+ A traitour for all Christiantie: 50
+ Happe well or woe, it shall be so.
+ Drink now with a sorrowfull," &c.
+
+ The bishop dranke, and by and by
+ His belly burst and he fell downe:
+ A just rewarde for his traitery! 55
+ "This was a posset indeed," quoth Brown.
+ He serched the bishop, and found the keyes,
+ To come to the kinge when he did please.
+ Alas for woe, &c.
+
+ As soon as the king got word of this, 60
+ He humbly fell uppon his knee,
+ And praysed God that he did misse
+ To tast of that extremity:
+ For that he did perceive and know,
+ His clergie would betray him so: 65
+ Alas for woe, &c.
+
+ "Alas," he said, "unhappie realme,
+ My father, and grandfather slaine:[L68]
+ My mother banished, O extreame
+ Unhappy fate, and bitter bayne! 70
+ And now like treason wrought for me--
+ What more unhappie realme can be!"
+ Alas for woe, &c.
+
+ The king did call his nurse to his grace,
+ And gave her twenty poundes a yeere; 75
+ And trustie Browne too in like case,
+ He knighted him with gallant geere,
+ And gave him lands and livings great,
+ For dooing such a manly feat,
+ As he did showe, to the bishop's woe, 80
+ Which made, &c.
+
+ When all this treason done and past
+ Tooke not effect of traytery,
+ Another treason at the last,
+ They sought against his majestie; 85
+ How they might make their kinge away
+ By a privie banket on a daye.
+ Alas for woe, &c.
+
+ 'Another time' to sell the king
+ Beyonde the seas they had decreede: 90
+ Three noble Earles heard of this thing,
+ And did prevent the same with speede.
+ For a letter came, with such a charme,
+ That they should doo their king no harme:
+ For further woe, if they did soe, 95
+ Would make a sorrowful heigh hoe.
+
+ The Earle Mourton told the Douglas then,
+ "Take heede you do not offend the king;
+ But shew yourselves like honest men
+ Obediently in every thing; 100
+ For his godmother will not see[L101]
+ Her noble child misus'd to be
+ With any woe; for if it be so,
+ She will make," &c.
+
+ God graunt all subjects may be true, 105
+ In England, Scotland, every where,
+ That no such daunger may ensue,
+ To put the prince or state in feare:
+ That God, the highest king, may see
+ Obedience as it ought to be. 110
+ In wealth or woe, God graunt it be so,
+ To avoide the sorrowful heigh ho.
+
+68. His father was Henry Lord Darnley. His grandfather, the old Earl of
+Lenox, regent of Scotland, and father of Lord Darnley, was murdered at
+Stirling, Sept. 5, 1571.--P.
+
+101. Queen Elizabeth.
+
+
+
+
+MARY AMBREE.
+
+_Reliques of Ancient English Poetry_, ii. 230.
+
+
+"In the year 1584, the Spaniards, under the command of Alexander
+Farnese, Prince of Parma, began to gain great advantages in Flanders
+and Brabant, by recovering many strongholds and cities from the
+Hollanders, as Ghent (called then by the English Gaunt), Antwerp,
+Mechlin, &c. See Stow's _Annals_, p. 711. Some attempt made with the
+assistance of English volunteers to retrieve the former of those
+places, probably gave occasion to this ballad. I can find no mention
+of our heroine in history, but the following rhymes rendered her
+famous among our poets. Ben Jonson often mentions her, and calls any
+remarkable virago by her name. See his _Epic[oe]ne_, first acted in
+1609, Act 4, sc. 2: his _Tale of a Tub_, Act 4, sc. 4: and his masque
+entitled _The Fortunate Isles_, 1626, where he quotes the very words
+of the ballad,
+
+ ---- MARY AMBREE,
+ (Who marched so free
+ To the siege of Gaunt,
+ And death could not daunt,
+ As the ballad doth vaunt)
+ Were a braver wight, &c.
+
+She is also mentioned in Fletcher's _Scornful Lady_, Act 5, _sub
+finem_.
+
+"This ballad is printed from a black-letter copy in the Pepys
+Collection, improved from the Editor's folio MS., and by conjecture.
+The full title is, "_The valourous acts performed at Gaunt by the
+brave bonnie lass Mary Ambree, who, in revenge of her lovers death,
+did play her part most gallantly_". _The tune is_, The blind beggar,
+&c."--PERCY.
+
+
+ When captaines couragious, whom death cold not daunte,
+ Did march to the siege of the citty of Gaunt,
+ They mustred their souldiers by two and by three,
+ And the formost in battle was Mary Ambree.
+
+ When [the] brave sergeant-major was slaine in her sight,[L5] 5
+ Who was her true lover, her joy, and delight,
+ Because he was slaine most treacherouslìe,
+ Then vowd to revenge him Mary Ambree.
+
+ She clothed herselfe from the top to the toe,
+ In buffe of the bravest, most seemelye to showe; 10
+ A faire shirt of male then slipped on shee:
+ Was not this a brave bonny lass, Mary Ambree?
+
+ A helmett of proofe shee strait did provide,
+ A stronge arminge-sword shee girt by her side,
+ On her hand a goodly faire gauntlett put shee: 15
+ Was not this a brave bonny lass, Mary Ambree?
+
+ Then tooke shee her sworde and her targett in hand,
+ Bidding all such, as wold, [to] bee of her band;
+ To wayte on her person came thousand and three:
+ Was not this a brave bonny lass, Mary Ambree? 20
+
+ "My soldiers," she saith, "soe valliant and bold,
+ Nowe followe your captaine, whom you doe beholde;
+ Still formost in battell myselfe will I bee:"
+ Was not this a brave bonny lasse, Mary Ambree?
+
+ Then cryed out her souldiers, and loude they did say, 25
+ "Soe well thou becomest this gallant array,
+ Thy harte and thy weapons so well do agree,
+ Noe mayden was ever like Mary Ambree."
+
+ Shee cheared her souldiers, that foughten for life, 30
+ With ancyent and standard, with drum and with fife,
+ With brave clanging trumpetts, that sounded so free;
+ Was not this a brave bonny lasse, Mary Ambree?
+
+ "Before I will see the worst of you all
+ To come into danger of death or of thrall,
+ This hand and this life I will venture so free:" 35
+ Was not this a brave bonny lasse, Mary Ambree?
+
+ Shee ledd upp her souldiers in battaile array,
+ Gainst three times theyr number by breake of the daye;
+ Seven howers in skirmish continued shee:
+ Was not this a brave bonny lasse, Mary Ambree? 40
+
+ She filled the skyes with the smoke of her shott,
+ And her enemyes bodyes with bullets so hott;
+ For one of her owne men a score killed shee:
+ Was not this a brave bonny lasse, Mary Ambree?
+
+ And when her false gunner, to spoyle her intent, 45
+ Away all her pellets and powder had sent,
+ Straight with her keen weapon shee slasht him in three:
+ Was not this a brave bonny lasse, Mary Ambree?
+
+ Being falselye betrayed for lucre of hyre,
+ At length she was forced to make a retyre; 50
+ Then her souldiers into a strong castle drew shee:
+ Was not this a brave bonny lassee, Mary Ambree?
+
+ Her foes they besett her on everye side,
+ As thinking close siege shee cold never abide;
+ To beate down the walles they all did decree: 55
+ But stoutlye deffyd them brave Mary Ambree.
+
+ Then tooke shee her sword and her targett in hand,
+ And mounting the walls all undaunted did stand,
+ There daring their captaines to match any three:
+ O what a brave captaine was Mary Ambree! 60
+
+ "Now saye, English captaine, what woldest thou give
+ To ransome thy selfe, which else must not live?
+ Come yield thy selfe quicklye, or slaine thou must bee:"
+ Then smiled sweetlye brave Mary Ambree.
+
+ "Ye captaines couragious, of valour so bold, 65
+ Whom thinke you before you now you doe behold?"
+ "A knight, sir, of England, and captaine soe free,
+ Who shortleye with us a prisoner must bee."
+
+ "No captaine of England; behold in your sight
+ Two brests in my bosome, and therfore no knight: 70
+ Noe knight, sirs, of England, nor captaine you see,
+ But a poor simple mayden called Mary Ambree."
+
+ "But art thou a woman, as thou dost declare,
+ Whose valor hath proved so undaunted in warre?
+ If England doth yield such brave mayden as thee, 75
+ Full well may they conquer, faire Mary Ambree."
+
+ The prince of Great Parma heard of her renowne
+ Who long had advanced for Englands faire crowne;
+ Hee wooed her and sued her his mistress to bee,
+ And offerd rich presents to Mary Ambree. 80
+
+ But this virtuous mayden despised them all:
+ "Ile nere sell my honour for purple nor pall;
+ A mayden of England, sir, never will bee
+ The whore of a monarcke," quoth Mary Ambree.
+
+ Then to her owne country shee backe did returne, 85
+ Still holding the foes of faire England in scorne;
+ Therfore English captaines of every degree
+ Sing forth the brave valours of Mary Ambree.
+
+5. So P. C. Sir John Major in MS.
+
+
+
+
+BRAVE LORD WILLOUGHBEY.
+
+Percy's _Reliques_, ii. 235.
+
+
+"Peregrine Bertie, Lord Willoughby of Eresby, had, in the year 1586,
+distinguished himself at the siege of Zutphen, in the Low Countries.
+He was the year after made general of the English forces in the United
+Provinces, in room of the Earl of Leicester, who was recalled. This
+gave him an opportunity of signalizing his courage and military skill
+in several actions against the Spaniards. One of these, greatly
+exaggerated by popular report, is probably the subject of this old
+ballad, which, on account of its flattering encomiums on English
+valour, hath always been a favourite with the people.
+
+"Lord Willoughbie died in 1601.--Both Norris and Turner were famous
+among the military men of that age.
+
+"The subject of this ballad (which is printed from an old black-letter
+copy, with some conjectural emendations) may possibly receive
+illustration from what Chapman says in the dedication to his version
+of Homer's _Frogs and Mice_, concerning the brave and memorable
+retreat of Sir John Norris, with only 1000 men, through the whole
+Spanish army, under the Duke of Parma, for three miles together."
+PERCY.
+
+Lord Willoughby was son of that Duchess of Suffolk, whose
+extraordinary adventures, while in exile on the continent during the
+reign of Queen Mary, are the subject of an often-printed ballad called
+the _Duchess of Suffolk's Calamity_. See _Strange Histories_, Percy
+Society, iii. 17, and the Appendix to this volume.
+
+
+ The fifteenth day of July,
+ With glistering spear and shield,
+ A famous fight in Flanders
+ Was foughten in the field:
+ The most couragious officers 5
+ Were English captains three;
+ But the bravest man in battel
+ Was brave Lord Willoughbèy.
+
+ The next was Captain Norris,
+ A valiant man was hee; 10
+ The other Captain Turner,
+ From field would never flee.
+ With fifteen hundred fighting men,
+ Alas! there were no more,
+ They fought with fourteen thousand then, 15
+ Upon the bloody shore.
+
+ "Stand to it, noble pikemen,
+ And look you round about:
+ And shoot you right, you bow-men,
+ And we will keep them out. 20
+ You musquet and calìver men,
+ Do you prove true to me:
+ I'le be the formost man in fight,"
+ Says brave Lord Willoughbèy.
+
+ And then the bloody enemy 25
+ They fiercely did assail,
+ And fought it out most furiously,
+ Not doubting to prevail.
+ The wounded men on both sides fell,
+ Most pitious for to see, 30
+ Yet nothing could the courage quell
+ Of brave Lord Willoughbèy.
+
+ For seven hours, to all mens view,
+ This fight endured sore,
+ Until our men so feeble grew 35
+ That they could fight no more;
+ And then upon dead horses,
+ Full savourly they eat,
+ And drank the puddle water,
+ They could no better get. 40
+
+ When they had fed so freely,
+ They kneeled on the ground,
+ And praised God devoutly
+ For the favour they had found;
+ And beating up their colours, 45
+ The fight they did renew,
+ And turning tow'rds the Spaniard,
+ A thousand more they slew.
+
+ The sharp steel-pointed arrows,
+ And bullets thick did fly; 50
+ Then did our valiant soldiers
+ Charge on most furiously:
+ Which made the Spaniards waver;
+ They thought it best to flee;
+ They fear'd the stout behaviour 55
+ Of brave Lord Willoughbèy.
+
+ Then quoth the Spanish general,
+ "Come, let us march away;
+ I fear we shall be spoiled all
+ If here we longer stay; 60
+ For yonder comes Lord Willoughbey,
+ With courage fierce and fell;
+ He will not give one inch of way
+ For all the devils in hell."
+
+ And then the fearful enemy 65
+ Was quickly put to flight,
+ Our men persued couragiously,
+ And caught their forces quite;
+ But at [the] last they gave a shout,
+ Which ecchoed through the sky; 70
+ "God and St. George for England!"
+ The conquerers did cry.
+
+ This news was brought to England
+ With all the speed might be,
+ And soon our gracious queen was told 75
+ Of this same victory.
+ "O this is brave Lord Willoughbey,
+ My love that ever won;
+ Of all the lords of honour,
+ 'Tis he great deeds hath done." 80
+
+ To the souldiers that were maimed
+ And wounded in the fray,
+ The queen allowed a pension
+ Of fifteen pence a day;
+ And from all costs and charges 85
+ She quit and set them free:
+ And this she did all for the sake
+ Of brave Lord Willoughbèy.
+
+ Then courage, noble Englishmen,
+ And never be dismaid; 90
+ If that we be but one to ten,
+ We will not be afraid
+ To fight with foraign enemies,
+ And set our nation free:
+ And thus I end the bloody bout 95
+ Of brave Lord Willoughbèy.
+
+
+
+
+THE BONNY EARL OF MURRAY.
+
+From _The Tea-Table Miscellany_, ii. 188.
+
+
+In consequence of a suspicion that the Earl of Murray had been party
+to an attempt of his cousin, the notorious Bothwell, against the
+person of the King (James VI.), a commission was issued for bringing
+Murray before the sovereign for examination. The arrest was
+inconsiderately entrusted to the Earl of Huntly, Murray's mortal
+enemy. The young earl was at that time peacefully residing at
+Dunnibirsel, the house of his mother, Lady Downe. Huntly surrounded
+the place and summoned the inmates to surrender, and the demand not
+being complied with, set fire to the mansion. Murray escaped from the
+flames, but was overtaken by his foes and savagely slain. The event
+took place on the night of the 7th of February, 1592.
+
+The youth, beauty, and accomplishments of the victim of this outrage
+made him a favourite with the people, and there was a universal clamor
+for revenge. On the 10th of the month, proclamation was made for all
+noblemen and barons, in a great number of shires, to rise in arms, to
+join the King for the pursuit of the Earl of Huntly, who, however,
+surrendered himself, and was dismissed, on security for his appearance
+to answer for the crime. The moderation of James gave rise to a
+scandalous report, that the king countenanced the murderer, out of
+jealousy for the favor with which the bonny earl was regarded by the
+Queen.
+
+The ballad of _Young Waters_ (vol. iii. p. 89) has, without convincing
+reasons, been supposed to be founded on the story of the Earl of
+Murray.
+
+The first of the two pieces which follow is from Ramsay's _Tea-Table
+Miscellany_. The second, which may perhaps be a part of the same
+ballad, was first printed in Finlay's collection.
+
+
+ Ye Highlands, and ye Lawlands,
+ O where have you been?
+ They have slain the Earl of Murray,
+ And they laid him on the green.
+
+ "Now wae be to thee, Huntly! 5
+ And wherefore did you sae?
+ I bade you bring him wi' you,
+ But forbade you him to slay."
+
+ He was a braw gallant,
+ And he rid at the ring; 10
+ And the bonny Earl of Murray,
+ O he might hae been a king.
+
+ He was a braw gallant,
+ And he play'd at the ba';
+ And the bonny Earl of Murray 15
+ Was the flower amang them a'.
+
+ He was a braw gallant,
+ And he play'd at the glove;
+ And the bonny Earl of Murray,
+ O he was the Queen's love. 20
+
+ O lang will his lady
+ Look o'er the castle Down,
+ Ere she see the Earl of Murray
+ Come sounding thro' the town.
+
+
+
+
+THE BONNIE EARL O' MURRAY.
+
+From Finlay's _Scottish Ballads_, ii. 21.
+
+
+ "Open the gates,
+ And let him come in;
+ He is my brother Huntly,
+ He'll do him nae harm."
+
+ The gates they were opent, 5
+ They let him come in;
+ But fause traitor Huntly,
+ He did him great harm.
+
+ He's ben and ben,
+ And ben to his bed; 10
+ And with a sharp rapier
+ He stabbed him dead.
+
+ The lady came down the stair,
+ Wringing her hands;
+ "He has slain the Earl o' Murray, 15
+ The flower o' Scotland."
+
+ But Huntly lap on his horse,
+ Rade to the king:
+ "Ye're welcome hame, Huntly,
+ And whare hae ye been? 20
+
+ "Whare hae ye been?
+ And how hae ye sped?"
+ "I've killed the Earl o' Murray,
+ Dead in his bed."
+
+ "Foul fa' you, Huntly! 25
+ And why did ye so?
+ You might have ta'en the Earl o' Murray
+ And saved his life too."
+
+ "Her bread it's to bake,
+ Her yill is to brew; 30
+ My sister's a widow,
+ And sair do I rue.
+
+ "Her corn grows ripe,
+ Her meadows grow green,
+ But in bonny Dinnibristle 35
+ I darena be seen."
+
+
+
+
+THE WINNING OF CALES.
+
+
+This is one of many exulting effusions which were called forth by the
+taking of Cadiz (vulgarly called Cales). The town was captured on the
+21st of June, 1596, the Earl of Effingham being high-admiral of the
+fleet, and Essex general of the land forces. Sir W. Raleigh, Lord
+Thomas Howard, and other distinguished soldiers had commands in the
+expedition. The praise here bestowed on Essex's humanity was richly
+deserved, and the booty taken by the conquerors is not exaggerated.
+The whole loss of the Spaniards, in their city and their fleet, was
+estimated at twenty millions of ducats.
+
+We give this ballad from Deloney's _Garland of Good Will_, as
+reprinted by the Percy Society, vol. xxx. p. 113. The copy in the
+_Reliques_ (ii. 241), which was corrected by the editor, differs but
+slightly from the present.
+
+
+ Long had the proud Spaniards
+ Advancèd to conquer us,
+ Threatening our country
+ With fire and sword;
+ Often preparing 5
+ Their navy most sumptuous,
+ With all the provision
+ That Spain could afford.
+
+ Dub a-dub, dub,
+ Thus strike the drums, 10
+ Tan-ta-ra, ta-ra-ra,
+ The Englishman comes.
+
+ To the seas presently
+ Went our lord admiral,
+ With knights couragious, 15
+ And captains full good;
+ The earl of Essex,
+ A prosperous general,
+ With him preparèd
+ To pass the salt flood. 20
+ Dub a-dub, &c.
+
+ At Plymouth speedily,
+ Took they ships valiantly;
+ Braver ships never
+ Were seen under sail;
+ With their fair colours spread, 25
+ And streamers o'er their head;
+ Now, bragging Spaniards,
+ Take heed of your tail.
+ Dub a-dub, &c.
+
+ Unto Cales cunningly,
+ Came we most happily, 30
+ Where the kings navy
+ Did secretly ride;
+ Being upon their backs,
+ Piercing their buts of sack,
+ Ere that the Spaniards 35
+ Our coming descry'd.
+ Tan-ta-ra, ta-ra-ra,
+ The Englishman comes;
+ Bounce a-bounce, bounce a-bounce,
+ Off went the guns. 40
+
+ Great was the crying,
+ Running and riding,
+ Which at that season
+ Was made at that place;
+ Then beacons were firèd, 45
+ As need was requirèd;
+ To hide their great treasure,
+ They had little space:
+ "Alas!" they cryèd,
+ "English men comes." 50
+
+ There you might see the ships,
+ How they were firèd fast,
+ And how the men drown'd
+ Themselves in the sea;
+ There you may hear them cry, 55
+ Wail and weep piteously;
+ When as they saw no shift
+ To escape thence away.
+ Dub a-dub, &c.
+
+ The great Saint Philip,
+ The pride of the Spaniards, 60
+ Was burnt to the bottom,
+ And sunk in the sea;
+ But the Saint Andrew,
+ And eke the Saint Matthew,
+ We took in fight manfully, 65
+ And brought them away.
+ Dub a-dub, &c.
+
+ The earl of Essex,
+ Most valiant and hardy,
+ With horsemen and footmen
+ March'd towards the town; 70
+ The enemies which saw them,
+ Full greatly affrighted,
+ Did fly for their safeguard,
+ And durst not come down.
+ Dub a-dub, &c.
+
+ "Now," quoth the noble earl, 75
+ "Courage, my soldiers all!
+ Fight, and be valiant,
+ And spoil you shall have;
+ And well rewarded all,
+ From the great to the small; 80
+ But look that the women
+ And children you save."
+ Dub a-dub, &c.
+
+ The Spaniards at that sight,
+ Saw 'twas in vain to fight,
+ Hung up their flags of truce, 85
+ Yielding the town;
+ We march'd in presently,
+ Decking the walls on high
+ With our English colours,
+ Which purchas'd renown. 90
+ Dub a-dub, &c.
+
+ Ent'ring the houses then,
+ And of the richest men,
+ For gold and treasure
+ We searchèd each day;
+ In some places we did find 95
+ Pye baking in the oven,
+ Meat at the fire roasting,
+ And men run away.
+ Dub a-dub, &c.
+
+ Full of rich merchandise,
+ Every shop we did see, 100
+ Damask and sattins
+ And velvet full fair;
+ Which soldiers measure out
+ By the length of their swords;
+ Of all commodities, 105
+ Each one hath share.
+ Dub a-dub, &c.
+
+ Thus Cales was taken,
+ And our brave general
+ March'd to the market-place,
+ There he did stand; 110
+ There many prisoners
+ Of good account were took;
+ Many crav'd mercy,
+ And mercy they found.
+ Dub a-dub, &c.
+
+ When as our general 115
+ Saw they delayèd time,
+ And would not ransom
+ The town as they said,
+ With their fair wainscots,
+ Their presses and bedsteads, 120
+ Their joint-stools and tables,
+ A fire we made:
+ And when the town burnt in a flame,
+ With tan-ta-ra, tan-ta-ra-ra,
+ From thence we came. 125
+
+
+
+
+SIR JOHN SUCKLING'S CAMPAIGN.
+
+
+"When the Scottish Covenanters rose up in arms, and advanced to the
+English borders in 1639, many of the courtiers complimented the king
+by raising forces at their own expense. Among these none were more
+distinguished than the gallant Sir John Suckling, who raised a troop
+of horse, so richly accoutred, that it cost him 12,000_l._ The like
+expensive equipment of other parts of the army made the king remark,
+that "the Scots would fight stoutly, if it were but for the
+Englishmen's fine cloaths." When they came to action, the rugged Scots
+proved more than a match for the fine showy English: many of whom
+behaved remarkably ill, and among the rest this splendid troop of Sir
+John Suckling's." PERCY.
+
+This scoffing ballad, sometimes attributed to Suckling himself, is
+taken from the _Musarum Deliciæ_ of Sir John Mennis and Dr. James
+Smith (p. 81 of the reprint, _Upon Sir John Sucklings most warlike
+preparations for the Scotish warre_). The former is said by Wood to
+have been the author. Percy's copy (_Reliques_, ii. 341) has one or
+two different readings.--The first stanza is a parody on _John Dory_.
+
+
+ Sir John got him an ambling nag,
+ To Scotland for to ride-a,
+ With a hundred horse more, all his own he swore,
+ To guard him on every side-a.
+
+ No errant-knight ever went to fight 5
+ With halfe so gay a bravado,
+ Had you seen but his look, you'ld have sworn on a book,
+ Hee'ld have conquer'd a whole armado.
+
+ The ladies ran all to the windowes to see
+ So gallant and warlike a sight-a, 10
+ And as he pass'd by, they began to cry,
+ "Sir John, why will you go fight-a?"
+
+ But he, like a cruel knight, spurr'd on,
+ His heart did not relent-a;
+ For, till he came there, he shew'd no fear;[L15] 15
+ Till then why should he repent-a?
+
+ The king (God bless him!) had singular hopes
+ Of him and all his troop-a:
+ The borderers they, as they met him on the way,
+ For joy did hollow and whoop-a. 20
+
+ None lik'd him so well as his own colonel,
+ Who took him for John de Weart-a;[L22]
+ But when there were shows of gunning and blows,
+ My gallant was nothing so peart-a.
+
+ For when the Scots army came within sight, 25
+ And all men prepared to fight-a,
+ He ran to his tent; they ask'd what he meant;
+ He swore he must needs goe s----- a.
+
+ The colonel sent for him back agen,
+ To quarter him in the van-a, 30
+ But Sir John did swear, he came not there
+ To be kill'd the very first man-a.
+
+ To cure his fear, he was sent to the rere,
+ Some ten miles back, and more-a;
+ Where he did play at tre trip for hay, 35
+ And ne'er saw the enemy more-a.
+
+ But now there is peace, he's returned to increase
+ His money, which lately he spent-a;
+ But his lost honor must still lye in the dust;
+ At Barwick away it went-a. 40
+
+15.
+
+ For till he came there, what had he to fear;
+ Or why should he repent-a?
+
+ PERCY.
+
+22. John de Wert was a German general of reputation, and
+the terror of the French in the reign of Louis XIII. Hence his name
+became proverbial in France, where he was called De Vert. PERCY.
+
+
+
+
+THE BATTLE OF PHILIPHAUGH.
+
+From _Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border_, ii. 177.
+
+
+By a rapid series of extraordinary victories, (see _The Haws of
+Cromdale_, and _The Battle of Alford_ in the Appendix,) Montrose had
+subdued Scotland to the royal arms, from the Grampians to Edinburgh.
+After taking possession of the capital, he marched forward to the
+frontiers, with the intention of completing the subjugation of the
+southern provinces, and even of leading his wild array into England to
+the support of King Charles. Having traversed the Border, and
+strengthened his army (greatly diminished by the departure of the
+Irish and many of the Highlanders) with some small reinforcements,
+Montrose encamped on the 12th of September, 1645, at Philiphaugh, a
+large plain, separated by the river Ettrick from the town of Selkirk,
+and extending in an easterly direction from a wooded hill, called the
+Harehead-wood, to a high ground which forms the banks of the river
+Tweed. Here the infantry were very conveniently disposed, while the
+general took up his quarters with all his cavalry at Selkirk, thus
+interposing a river between his horse and foot. This extraordinary
+error, whether rashness or oversight, was destined to be severely
+expiated. The very next morning, the Covenanters, under General David
+Lesly, recalled from England by the danger threatened their cause by
+the victories of Montrose, crossed the Ettrick and fell on the
+encampment of the infantry, unperceived by a single scout. A hopeless
+discomfiture was the natural consequence. Montrose, roused by the
+firing, arrived with a few of his cavalry too late to redeem the day,
+and beheld his army slaughtered, or scattered in a retreat in which he
+was himself fain to join. The fruit of all his victories was lost in
+this defeat, and he was never again able to make head in Scotland
+against the Covenanters.
+
+The following ballad was first printed by Sir Walter Scott, with
+prefatory remarks which we have here abridged. It is preserved by
+tradition in Selkirkshire, and coincides closely with historical fact.
+
+
+ On Philiphaugh a fray began,
+ At Hairhead-wood it ended;
+ The Scots out o'er the Græmes they ran,
+ Sae merrily they bended.
+
+ Sir David frae the Border came, 5
+ Wi' heart an' hand came he;
+ Wi' him three thousand bonny Scots,
+ To bear him company.
+
+ Wi' him three thousand valiant men,
+ A noble sight to see! 10
+ A cloud o' mist them weel conceal'd,
+ As close as e'er might be.
+
+ When they came to the Shaw burn,[L13]
+ Said he, "Sae weel we frame,
+ I think it is convenient 15
+ That we should sing a psalm."[L16]
+
+ When they came to the Lingly burn,[L17]
+ As daylight did appear,
+ They spy'd an aged father,
+ And he did draw them near. 20
+
+ "Come hither, aged father!"
+ Sir David he did cry,
+ "And tell me where Montrose lies,
+ With all his great army."
+
+ "But first you must come tell to me, 25
+ If friends or foes you be;
+ I fear you are Montrose's men,
+ Come frae the north country."
+
+ "No, we are nane o' Montrose's men,
+ Nor e'er intend to be; 30
+ I am Sir David Lesly,
+ That's speaking unto thee."
+
+ "If you're Sir David Lesly,
+ As I think weel ye be,
+ I am sorry ye hae brought so few 35
+ Into your company.
+
+ "There's fifteen thousand armed men[L37]
+ Encamped on yon lee;
+ Ye'll never be a bite to them,
+ For aught that I can see. 40
+
+ "But halve your men in equal parts,
+ Your purpose to fulfill;
+ Let ae half keep the water side,
+ The rest gae round the hill.
+
+ "Your nether party fire must, 45
+ Then beat a flying drum;
+ And then they'll think the day's their ain,
+ And frae the trench they'll come.
+
+ "Then, those that are behind them, maun
+ Gie shot, baith grit and sma'; 50
+ And so, between your armies twa,
+ Ye may make them to fa'."
+
+ "O were ye ever a soldier?"
+ Sir David Lesly said;
+ "O yes; I was at Solway Flow,[L55] 55
+ Where we were all betray'd.
+
+ "Again I was at curst Dunbar,
+ And was a pris'ner ta'en;
+ And many weary night and day
+ In prison I hae lien." 60
+
+ "If ye will lead these men aright,
+ Rewarded shall ye be;
+ But, if that ye a traitor prove,
+ I'll hang thee on a tree."
+
+ "Sir, I will not a traitor prove; 65
+ Montrose has plunder'd me;
+ I'll do my best to banish him
+ Away frae this country."
+
+ He halved his men in equal parts,
+ His purpose to fulfill; 70
+ The one part kept the water side,
+ The other gaed round the hill.
+
+ The nether party fired brisk,
+ Then turn'd and seem'd to rin;
+ And then they a' came frae the trench, 75
+ And cry'd, "The day's our ain!"
+
+ The rest then ran into the trench,
+ And loosed their cannons a':
+ And thus, between his armies twa,
+ He made them fast to fa'. 80
+
+ Now let us a' for Lesly pray,
+ And his brave company,
+ For they hae vanquish'd great Montrose,
+ Our cruel enemy.
+
+13. A small stream that joins the Ettrick near Selkirk, on the south
+side of the river. S.
+
+16. Various reading: "That we should take a dram." S.
+
+17. A brook which falls into the Ettrick, from the north, a little above
+the Shaw burn. S.
+
+37. Montrose's forces amounted to twelve or fifteen hundred foot, and
+about a thousand cavalry. Lesly had five or six thousand men, mostly
+horse.
+
+55. It is a strange anachronism, to make this aged father state himself
+to have been at the battle of Solway Flow, which was fought a hundred
+years before Philiphaugh; and a still stranger, to mention that of
+Dunbar, which did not take place till five years after Montrose's
+defeat. S.
+
+
+
+
+THE GALLANT GRAHAMS.
+
+From _Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border_, ii. 187
+
+
+In this lament for the melancholy fate of Montrose and his heroic
+companions, it was clearly the humble minstrel's aim to sketch the
+chief incidents in the great Marquis's career as the champion and the
+martyr of Royalty. The derangements and omissions which may be found
+in the verses as they now stand are but the natural effects of time.
+The ballad was first published in Scott's _Minstrelsy_, as obtained
+from tradition, with enlargements and corrections from an old printed
+copy (entitled _The Gallant Grahams of Scotland_) furnished by Ritson.
+
+The summer following the rout at Philiphaugh, King Charles committed
+himself to the treacherous protection of the Presbyterians. They
+required of him that his faithful lieutenant should at once disband
+his forces and leave the country. During three years of exile,
+Montrose resided at various foreign courts, either quite inactive, or
+cultivating the friendship of the continental sovereigns, by whom he
+was overwhelmed with attentions and honors. The execution of the King
+drew from him a solemn oath "before God, angels, and men," that he
+would devote the rest of his life to the avenging the death of his
+master and reëstablishing his son on the throne. He received from
+Charles II. a renewal of his commission as Captain-General in
+Scotland, and while Charles was treating with the Commissioners of the
+Estates concerning his restoration (negotiations which Montrose
+regarded with no favor), set out for the Orkneys with a few hundred
+men, mostly Germans. His coming, even with this feeble band, struck a
+great terror into the Estates, and Lesly was ordered to march against
+him with four thousand men. Destitute of horse to bring him
+intelligence, Montrose was surprised at Corbiesdale, on the confines
+of Ross-shire, by a body of Covenanting cavalry under Colonel
+Strachan, which had been sent forward to check his progress. The whole
+of his little army was destroyed or made prisoners. Montrose escaped
+from the field after a desperate resistance, and finally gave himself
+up to Macleod of Assaint, who sold him to his enemies for four hundred
+bolls of meal!
+
+"He was tried," says Scott, "for what was termed treason against the
+Estates of the Kingdom; and, despite the commission of Charles for his
+proceedings, he was condemned to die by a Parliament who acknowledged
+Charles to be their king, and whom, on that account only, Montrose
+acknowledged to be a Parliament."
+
+(See SCOTT'S _Minstrelsy_, HUME, ch. lx., and NAPIER'S _Montrose and
+the Covenanters_.)
+
+
+ Now, fare thee well, sweet Ennerdale[L1]
+ Baith kith and countrie I bid adieu;
+ For I maun away, and I may not stay,
+ To some uncouth land which I never knew.
+
+ To wear the blue I think it best,[L5] 5
+ Of all the colours that I see;
+ And I'll wear it for the gallant Grahams,
+ That are banished from their countrie.
+
+ I have no gold, I have no land,
+ I have no pearl nor precious stane; 10
+ But I wald sell my silken snood,
+ To see the gallant Grahams come hame.
+
+ In Wallace days, when they began,
+ Sir John the Graham did bear the gree[L14]
+ Through all the lands of Scotland wide: 15
+ He was a lord of the south countrie.
+
+ And so was seen full many a time;
+ For the summer flowers did never spring,
+ But every Graham, in armour bright,
+ Would then appear before the king. 20
+
+ They were all drest in armour sheen,
+ Upon the pleasant banks of Tay;
+ Before a king they might be seen,
+ These gallant Grahams in their array.
+
+ At the Goukhead our camp we set, 25
+ Our leaguer down there for to lay;
+ And, in the bonny summer light,
+ We rode our white horse and our gray.
+
+ * * * * *
+
+ Our false commander sold our king
+ Unto his deadly enemie, 30
+ Who was the traitor, Cromwell, then;
+ So I care not what they do with me.
+
+ They have betray'd our noble prince,
+ And banish'd him from his royal crown;
+ But the gallant Grahams have ta'en in hand 35
+ For to command those traitors down.
+
+ * * * * *
+
+ In Glen-Prosen we rendezvous'd,[L37]
+ March'd to Glenshie by night and day,
+ And took the town of Aberdeen,
+ And met the Campbells in their array. 40
+
+ Five thousand men, in armour strong,
+ Did meet the gallant Grahams that day
+ At Inverlochie, where war began,
+ And scarce two thousand men were they.
+
+ Gallant Montrose, that chieftain bold, 45
+ Courageous in the best degree,
+ Did for the king fight well that day;
+ The Lord preserve his majestie!
+
+ Nathaniel Gordon, stout and bold,[L49]
+ Did for King Charles wear the blue; 50
+ But the cavaliers they all were sold,
+ And brave Harthill, a cavalier too.[L52]
+
+ And Newton-Gordon, burd-alone,[L53]
+ And Dalgatie, both stout and keen,[L54]
+ And gallant Veitch upon the field,[L55] 55
+ A braver face was never seen.
+
+ Now, fare ye weel, Sweet Ennerdale!
+ Countrie and kin I quit ye free;
+ Cheer up your hearts, brave cavaliers,
+ For the Grahams are gone to High Germany.
+
+ * * * * *
+
+ Now brave Montrose he went to France, 61
+ And to Germany, to gather fame;
+ And bold Aboyne is to the sea,
+ Young Huntly is his noble name.[L64]
+
+ Montrose again, that chieftain bold, 65
+ Back unto Scotland fair he came,
+ For to redeem fair Scotland's land,
+ The pleasant, gallant, worthy Graham!
+
+ At the water of Carron he did begin,
+ And fought the battle to the end; 70
+ Where there were kill'd, for our noble king,
+ Two thousand of our Danish men.[L72]
+
+ Gilbert Menzies, of high degree,[L73]
+ By whom the king's banner was borne;
+ For a brave cavalier was he, 75
+ But now to glory he is gone.
+
+ Then woe to Strachan, and Hacket baith![L77]
+ And, Leslie, ill death may thou die!
+ For ye have betray'd the gallant Grahams,
+ Who aye were true to majestie. 80
+
+ And the Laird of Assaint has seized Montrose,
+ And had him into Edinburgh town;
+ And frae his body taken the head,
+ And quarter'd him upon a trone.
+
+ And Huntly's gone the self-same way,[L85] 85
+ And our noble king is also gone;
+ He suffer'd death for our nation,
+ Our mourning tears can ne'er be done.
+
+ But our brave young king is now come home,
+ King Charles the Second in degree; 90
+ The Lord send peace into his time,
+ And God preserve his majestie!
+
+1. A corruption of Endrickdale. The principal and most ancient
+possessions of the Montrose family lie along the water of Endrick, in
+Dumbartonshire. S.
+
+5. About the time when Montrose first occupied Aberdeen (1639) the
+Covenanters began to wear a blue ribbon, first as a scarf, afterwards in
+bunches in their caps. Hence the phrase of a true blue Whig. The blue
+ribbon was one of "Montrose's whimsies," and seems to have been retained
+by his followers (see v. 50) after he had left the Covenanters for the
+king.
+
+14. The faithful friend and adherent of the immortal Wallace, slain at
+the battle of Falkirk. S.
+
+37. Glen-Prosen is in Angus-shire. S.
+
+49. Of the family of Gicht in Aberdeenshire. He was taken at
+Philiphaugh, and executed the 6th of January, 1646.
+
+52. Leith, of Harthill, was a determined loyalist, and hated the
+Covenanters, by whom he had been severely treated. S.
+
+53. Newton, for obvious reasons, was a common appellation of an estate,
+or barony, where a new edifice had been erected. Hence, for
+distinction's sake, it was anciently compounded with the name of the
+proprietor; as, Newton-Edmonstone, Newton-Don, Newton-Gordon, &c. Of
+Newtown, I only observe, that he was, like all his clan, a steady
+loyalist, and a follower of Montrose. S.
+
+54. Sir Francis Hay, of Dalgatie, a steady cavalier, and a gentleman of
+great gallantry and accomplishments. He was a faithful follower of
+Montrose, and was taken prisoner with him at his last fatal battle. He
+was condemned to death with his illustrious general. S.
+
+55. I presume this gentleman to have been David Veitch, brother to
+Veitch of Dawick, who, with many other of the Peebles-shire gentry, was
+taken at Philiphaugh. S.
+
+64. James, Earl of Aboyne, who fled to France, and there died
+heart-broken. It is said his death was accelerated by the news of King
+Charles's execution. He became representative of the Gordon family (or
+Young Huntly, as the ballad expresses it) in consequence of the death of
+his elder brother, George, who fell in the battle of Alford. S.
+
+72. Montrose's foreign auxiliaries, who, by the way, did not exceed 600
+in all. S.
+
+73. Gilbert Menzies, younger of Pitfoddells, carried the royal banner in
+Montrose's last battle. It bore the headless corpse of Charles I., with
+this motto, "_Judge and revenge my cause, O Lord!_" Menzies proved
+himself worthy of this noble trust, and, obstinately refusing quarter,
+died in defence of his charge. MONTROSE's _Memoirs_. S.
+
+77. Sir Charles Hacket, an officer in the service of the Estates. S.
+
+85. George Gordon, second Marquis of Huntly, one of the very few nobles
+in Scotland who had uniformly adhered to the King from the very
+beginning of the troubles, was beheaded by the sentence of the
+Parliament of Scotland (so calling themselves) upon the 22d March, 1649,
+one month and twenty-two days after the martyrdom of his master. S.
+
+
+
+
+THE BATTLE OF LOUDON HILL.
+
+
+Graham of Claverhouse and Balfour of Kinloch, commonly called Burly,
+the principal persons mentioned in this ballad, are characters well
+known to the readers of _Old Mortality_, in the earlier chapters of
+which the skirmish at Loudon Hill is described.
+
+A few weeks after the memorable assassination of Archbishop Sharpe,
+Robert Hamilton, a fierce Cameronian, Burly, and a few others of the
+proscribed "Westlan' men" resolved to take up arms against the
+government. They began their demonstrations by entering the royal
+burgh of Rutherglen, on the 29th of May, 1679 (which, as the
+anniversary of the Restoration, was appointed by Parliament to be kept
+as a holyday) extinguishing the bonfires made in honor of the
+occasion, and burning at the cross certain acts in favor of Prelacy
+and for the suppression of Conventicles. After this exploit, and
+affixing to the cross a solemn protest against the obnoxious acts,
+they encamped at Loudon Hill, being by this time increased to the
+number of five or six hundred men. Claverhouse was in garrison at
+Glasgow, and immediately marched against the insurgents, with about a
+hundred and fifty cavalry. Hamilton, the commander of the Whigs, had
+skilfully posted his men in a boggy strait with a broad ditch in
+front, and the dragoons in attempting to charge were thrown into utter
+disorder. At this critical moment they were vigorously attacked by the
+rebels and easily routed. Claverhouse barely escaped being taken
+prisoner, and lost some twenty of his troopers, among them his cornet,
+Robert Graham, whose fate is alluded to in the ballad. Burly, though
+not the captain, was a prominent leader in this action. See SCOTT's
+_Minstrelsy_, vol. ii. 206, _et seq._
+
+
+ You'l marvel when I tell ye o'
+ Our noble Burly and his train,
+ When last he march'd up through the land,
+ Wi' sax-and-twenty Westland men.
+
+ Than they I ne'er o' braver heard, 5
+ For they had a' baith wit and skill;
+ They proved right well, as I heard tell,
+ As they cam up o'er Loudon Hill.
+
+ Weel prosper a' the gospel lads,
+ That are into the west countrie, 10
+ Aye wicked Claver'se to demean,
+ And aye an ill deid may he die!
+
+ For he's drawn up i' battle rank,
+ An' that baith soon an' hastilie;
+ But they wha live till simmer come, 15
+ Some bludie days for this will see.
+
+ But up spak cruel Claver'se, then,
+ Wi' hastie wit, an' wicked skill;
+ "Gae fire on yon Westlan' men;
+ I think it is my sov'reign's will." 20
+
+ But up bespake his Cornet, then,
+ "It's be wi' nae consent o' me!
+ I ken I'll ne'er come back again,
+ An' mony mae as weel as me.
+
+ "There is not ane of a' yon men, 25
+ But wha is worthy other three;
+ There is na ane amang them a',
+ That in his cause will stap to die.
+
+ "An' as for Burly, him I knaw;
+ He's a man of honour, birth, and fame; 30
+ Gie him a sword into his hand,
+ He'll fight thysell an' other ten."
+
+ But up spake wicked Claver'se, then,
+ I wat his heart it raise fu' hie!
+ And he has cried that a' might hear, 35
+ "Man, ye hae sair deceived me.
+
+ "I never ken'd the like afore,
+ Na, never since I came frae hame,
+ That you sae cowardly here suld prove,
+ An' yet come of a noble Græme." 40
+
+ But up bespake his Cornet then,
+ "Since that it is your honour's will,
+ Mysell shall be the foremost man
+ That shall gie fire on Loudon Hill.
+
+ "At your command I'll lead them on, 45
+ But yet wi' nae consent o' me;
+ For weel I ken I'll ne'er return,
+ And mony mae as weel as me."
+
+ Then up he drew in battle rank;
+ I wat he had a bonny train! 50
+ But the first time that bullets flew,
+ Aye he lost twenty o' his men.
+
+ Then back he came the way he gaed,
+ I wat right soon and suddenly!
+ He gave command amang his men, 55
+ And sent them back, and bade them flee.
+
+ Then up came Burly, bauld an' stout,
+ Wi's little train o' Westland men,
+ Wha mair than either aince or twice
+ In Edinburgh confined had been. 60
+
+ They hae been up to London sent,
+ An' yet they're a' come safely down;
+ Sax troop o' horsemen they hae beat,
+ And chased them into Glasgow town.
+
+
+
+
+THE BATTLE OE BOTHWELL BRIDGE.
+
+From _Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border_, ii. 237.
+
+
+The success of the Cameronians at Loudon Hill induced a considerable
+number of the moderate Presbyterians to join the army of the
+insurgents. But though increased numbers gave the revolt a more
+formidable appearance, they cannot be said to have added much to the
+strength of the rebels, since there was no concert between the two
+factions, each having its own set of officers, and issuing contrary
+orders at the same time. An army of ten thousand men under the Duke of
+Monmouth advanced from Edinburgh against these distracted allies, who,
+in all not more than four thousand, were encamped near Hamilton, on
+the western side of the Clyde, and had possession of the bridge
+between that point and the village of Bothwell. While the Duke was
+preparing to force a passage, the more moderate of the Whigs offered
+terms, and while they were debating the Duke's reply, the Cameronians,
+who bravely defended the bridge, were compelled to abandon their
+post. The Duke's army then crossed the river without opposition,
+because the rebels were at that juncture occupied with cashiering
+their officers and electing new ones. The first discharge of
+Monmouth's cannon caused the cavalry of the Covenanters to wheel
+about, and their flight threw the foot into irrecoverable disorder.
+Four hundred of the rebels were killed, and a body of twelve hundred
+surrendered at discretion, and were preserved from death by the
+clemency of the Duke. This action took place on the 22d of June, 1679.
+
+Scott informs us that there were two Gordons of Earlstoun engaged in
+the rebellion, a father and son. The former was not in the battle, but
+was met hastening to it by English dragoons, and was killed on his
+refusing to surrender. The son, who is supposed to be the person
+mentioned in the ballad, was of the milder Presbyterians, and fought
+only for freedom of conscience and relief from the tyrannical laws
+against non-conformists. He escaped from the battle, and after being
+several times condemned to die, was finally set at liberty, and
+restored to his forfeited estates.
+
+In this ballad Claverhouse's unsparing pursuit of the fugitives is
+imputed to a desire to revenge the death of his kinsman at Loudon
+Hill, and his anger at being thwarted is, with great simplicity,
+asserted to have led to the execution of Monmouth.
+
+Scott's copy of this ballad was given from recitation. In the First
+Series of Laing's _Fugitive Scottish Poetry_, there is an amusingly
+prosaic Covenanting ditty upon this subject, called _Bothwell Lines_,
+and in the Second Series, a Cavalier song, entitled The _Battell of
+Bodwell Bridge, or The Kings Cavileers Triumph_.
+
+ "O, billie, billie, bonny billie,
+ Will ye go to the wood wi' me?
+ We'll ca' our horse hame masterless,
+ An' gar them trow slain men are we."
+
+ "O no, O no!" says Earlstoun, 5
+ "For that's the thing that mauna be;
+ For I am sworn to Bothwell Hill,
+ Where I maun either gae or die."
+
+ So Earlstoun rose in the morning,
+ An' mounted by the break o' day; 10
+ An' he has joined our Scottish lads,
+ As they were marching out the way.
+
+ "Now, farewell, father, and farewell, mother,
+ And fare ye weel, my sisters three;
+ An' fare ye weel, my Earlstoun, 15
+ For thee again I'll never see!"
+
+ So they're awa' to Bothwell Hill,
+ An' waly they rode bonnily!
+ When the Duke o' Monmouth saw them comin',
+ He went to view their company. 20
+
+ "Ye're welcome, lads," the Monmouth said,
+ "Ye're welcome, brave Scots lads, to me;
+ And sae are you, brave Earlstoun,
+ The foremost o' your company!
+
+ "But yield your weapons ane an a', 25
+ O yield your weapons, lads, to me;
+ For gin ye'll yield your weapons up,
+ Ye'se a' gae hame to your country."
+
+ Out then spak a Lennox lad,
+ And waly but he spoke bonnily! 30
+ "I winna yield my weapons up,
+ To you nor nae man that I see."
+
+ Then he set up the flag o' red,
+ A' set about wi' bonny blue;
+ "Since ye'll no cease, and be at peace, 35
+ See that ye stand by ither true."
+
+ They stell'd their cannons on the height,
+ And showr'd their shot down in the howe;
+ An' beat our Scots lads even down,
+ Thick they lay slain on every knowe. 40
+
+ As e'er you saw the rain down fa',
+ Or yet the arrow frae the bow,--
+ Sae our Scottish lads fell even down,
+ An' they lay slain on every knowe.
+
+ "O hold your hand," then Monmouth cry'd, 45
+ "Gie quarters to yon men for me!"
+ But wicked Claver'se swore an oath,
+ His Cornet's death revenged sud be.
+
+ "O hold your hand," then Monmouth cry'd,
+ "If onything you'll do for me; 50
+ Hold up your hand, you cursed Græme,
+ Else a rebel to our king ye'll be."
+
+ Then wicked Claver'se turn'd about,
+ I wot an angry man was he;
+ And he has lifted up his hat, 55
+ And cry'd, "God bless his Majesty!"
+
+ Than he's awa' to London town,
+ Aye e'en as fast as he can dree;
+ Fause witnesses he has wi' him ta'en,
+ And ta'en Monmouth's head frae his body. 60
+
+ Alang the brae, beyond the brig,
+ Mony brave man lies cauld and still;
+ But lang we'll mind, and sair we'll rue,
+ The bloody battle of Bothwell Hill.
+
+
+
+
+THE BATTLE OF KILLIECRANKIE.
+
+
+This battle was fought on the evening of the 27th of July, 1689, a
+little to the north of the pass of Killiecrankie, in the Highlands of
+Perthshire, between King William's army under General Mackay, and a
+body of Highlanders under the renowned Claverhouse, the bravest and
+most faithful adherent of the house of Stuart. Mackay's troops, which
+were partly Dutch and partly English, amounted to 4,500 foot and two
+companies of horse. The Highlanders were not much more than half as
+numerous. They consisted of the followers of Maclean, Macdonald of
+Sky, Clanronald, Sir Evan Cameron of Lochiel, and others, with a few
+Irish. The left wing of Mackay's army was almost instantly routed by a
+furious charge of the Macleans. The right wing stood their ground
+manfully, and even repulsed the assault of the Macdonalds, but being
+taken in flank by the Camerons and a part of the Macleans, they were
+forced to retire and suffered great loss. While directing the oblique
+movement of the Camerons, Claverhouse received a mortal wound under
+the arm, and with him fell the cause of King James.
+
+This ballad, which is taken from Herd's _Scottish Songs_, i. 163, was
+printed as a broadside near the time of the battle. The author is
+unknown. There was an old song called _Killiecrankie_, which, with
+some alterations, was inserted in Johnson's _Museum_ (p. 302). It is
+also found in Hogg's _Jacobite Relics_, i. 32, with an additional
+stanza. A contemporary Latin ballad on the same event by Herbert
+Kennedy, a professor in the University of Edinburgh, is given in the
+_Museum_, and may be seen in our Appendix.
+
+
+ Clavers and his Highlandmen
+ Came down upo' the raw, man,
+ Who being stout, gave mony a clout;
+ The lads began to claw then.
+ With sword and terge into their hand, 5
+ Wi which they were nae slaw, man,
+ Wi mony a fearful heavy sigh,
+ The lads began to claw then.
+
+ O'er bush, o'er bank, o'er ditch, o'er stank,
+ She flang amang them a', man; 10
+ The butter-box got mony knocks,
+ Their riggings paid for a' then.
+ They got their paiks, wi sudden straiks,
+ Which to their grief they saw, man:
+ Wi clinkum clankum o'er their crowns, 15
+ The lads began to fa' then.
+
+ Hur skipt about, hur leapt about,[L17]
+ And flang amang them a', man;
+ The English blades got broken heads,
+ Their crowns were cleav'd in twa then. 20
+ The durk and door made their last hour,
+ And prov'd their final fa', man;
+ They thought the devil had been there,
+ That play'd them sic a paw then.
+
+ The Solemn League and Covenant 25
+ Came whigging up the hills, man;
+ Thought Highland trews durst not refuse
+ For to subscribe their bills then.
+ In Willie's name, they thought nae ane
+ Durst stop their course at a', man, 30
+ But hur-nane-sell, wi mony a knock,
+ Cry'd, "Furich-Whigs awa'," man.
+
+ Sir Evan Du, and his men true,
+ Came linking up the brink, man;
+ The Hogan Dutch they feared such, 35
+ They bred a horrid stink then.
+ The true Maclean and his fierce men
+ Came in amang them a' man;
+ Nane durst withstand his heavy hand,
+ All fled and ran awa' then. 40
+
+ _Oh' on a ri, Oh' on a ri,_
+ Why should she lose King Shames, man?
+ _Oh' rig in di, Oh' rig in di,_
+ She shall break a' her banes then;
+ With _furichinish_, an' stay a while, 45
+ And speak a word or twa, man,
+ She's gi' a straike, out o'er the neck,
+ Before ye win awa' then.
+
+ O fy for shame, ye're three for ane,
+ Hur-nane-sell's won the day, man; 50
+ King Shames' red-coats should be hung up,
+ Because they ran awa' then.
+ Had bent their brows, like Highland trows,
+ And made as lang a stay, man,
+ They'd sav'd their king, that sacred thing, 55
+ And Willie'd ran awa' then.
+
+17. The Highlanders have only one pronoun, and as it happens to resemble
+the English _her_, it has caused the Lowlanders to have a general
+impression that they mistake the feminine for the masculine gender. It
+has even become a sort of nickname for them, as in the present case, and
+in a subsequent verse, (31,) where it is extended to _her-nain-sell_.
+CHAMBERS, _Scottish Songs_, p. 48.
+
+
+
+
+THE BATTLE OF SHERIFF-MUIR.
+
+
+Fought on the 13th of November, 1715, between the Duke of Argyle,
+general of the forces of King George the First, and the Earl of Mar,
+for the Chevalier de St. George. The right wing of both armies, led by
+the respective commanders, was successful, and the left wing of both
+was routed. Hence the victory was claimed by both sides. The
+Chevalier's army was much the larger of the two, and all the
+advantages of the contest remained with the other party.
+
+This ballad is printed in Herd's _Scottish Songs_, i. 170, and in many
+subsequent collections. It is ascribed by Burns to the "Rev. Murdoch
+M'Lellan, minister of Crathie, Dee-side." Our copy is taken from
+Hogg's _Jacobite Relics_, ii. 1, where the stanzas in brackets appear
+for the first time. The notes are from Chambers's _Scottish Songs_, p.
+408.
+
+There are several other ballads upon this battle: _Up and war them a',
+Willie_, Johnson's _Museum_, p. 195, and (different) Herd's _Scottish
+Songs_, ii. 234: _From Bogie Side, or, The Marquis's Raide_, a false
+and scurrilous party song, Hogg's _Jacobite Relics_, ii. 13: _A
+Dialogue between Will Lick-Ladle and Tom Clean-Cogue_, &c., written by
+the Rev. John Barclay of Edinburgh, many years after the event: and
+_The Battle of Sherramoor_, altered and abridged by Burns from this
+last, for Johnson's _Museum_, (p. 290.) See Appendix.
+
+ There's some say that we wan, and some say that they wan,
+ And some say that nane wan at a', man;
+ But one thing I'm sure, that at Sherra-muir
+ A battle there was that I saw, man.
+ _And we ran, and they ran, and they ran, and we ran_, 5
+ _But Florence ran fastest of a', man_.[L6]
+
+ Argyle and Belhaven, not frighted like Leven,[L7]
+ Which Rothes and Haddington saw, man;
+ For they all, with Wightman, advanc'd on the right, man,
+ While others took flight, being raw, man. 10
+ _And we ran, &c._
+
+ Lord Roxburgh was there, in order to share[L11]
+ With Douglas, who stood not in awe, man;
+ Volunteerly to ramble with Lord Loudon Campbell,
+ Brave Ilay did suffer for a', man.
+ _And we ran, &c._
+
+ Sir John Schaw, that great knight, with broad sword most
+ bright,[L15] 15
+ On horseback he briskly did charge, man;
+ A hero that's bold, none could him withhold,[L17]
+ He stoutly encounter'd the targemen.
+ _And we ran, &c._
+
+ For the cowardly Whittam, for fear they should cut him,
+ Seeing glittering broad swords with a pa', man,
+ And that in such thrang, made Baird edicang, 21
+ And from the brave clans ran awa, man.
+ _And we ran, &c._
+
+ [The great Colonel Dow gade foremost, I trow,
+ When Whittam's dragoons ran awa, man;
+ Except Sandy Baird, and Naughtan the laird, 25
+ Their horse shaw'd their heels to them a', man.
+ _And we ran, &c._]
+
+ Brave Mar and Panmure were firm, I am sure:[L27]
+ The latter was kidnapt awa, man;
+ With brisk men about, brave Harry retook
+ His brother, and laugh'd at them a', man. 30
+ _And we ran, &c._
+
+ Brave Marshall, and Lithgow, and Glengary's pith, too,[L31]
+ Assisted by brave Loggia, man,
+ And Gordons the bright, so boldly did fight,
+ That the redcoats took flight and awa, man.
+ _And we ran, &c._
+
+ Strathmore and Clanronald cried still, "Advance, Donald,"[L35] 35
+ Till both of these heroes did fa', man;
+ For there was such hashing, and broad swords a-clashing,
+ Brave Forfar himsel got a claw, man.
+ _And we ran, &c._
+
+ Lord Perth stood the storm, Seaforth but lukewarm,[L39]
+ Kilsyth, and Strathallan not slaw, man; 40
+ And Hamilton pled the men were not bred,
+ For he had no fancy to fa', man.
+ _And we ran, &c._
+
+ Brave gen'rous Southesk, Tullibardin was brisk,[L43]
+ Whose father indeed would not draw, man,
+ Into the same yoke, which serv'd for a cloak, 45
+ To keep the estate 'twixt them twa, man.
+ _And we ran, &c._
+
+ Lord Rollo not fear'd, Kintore and his beard,[L47]
+ Pitsligo and Ogilvie, a', man,
+ And brothers Balflours they stood the first show'rs,
+ Clackmannan and Burleigh did claw, man. 50
+ _And we ran, &c._
+
+ But Cleppan fought pretty, and Strowan the witty,[L51]
+ A poet that pleases us a', man;
+ For mine is but rhyme in respect of what's fine,
+ Or what he is able to draw, man.
+ _And we ran &c._
+
+ For Huntly and Sinclair, they both play'd the tinkler,[L55] 55
+ With consciences black as a craw, man;
+ Some Angus and Fife men, they ran for their life, man,
+ And ne'er a Lot's wife there at a', man.
+ _And we ran, &c._
+
+ Then Laurie the traitor, who betray'd his master,[L59]
+ His king, and his country, an' a', man, 60
+ Pretending Mar might give orders to fight,
+ To the right of the army awa, man.
+ _And we ran, &c._
+
+ Then Laurie, for fear of what he might hear,
+ Took Drummond's best horse, and awa, man:
+ 'Stead of going to Perth, he crossed the Firth, 65
+ Alongst Stirling bridge, and awa, man.
+ _And we ran, &c._
+
+ To London he press'd, and there he profess'd
+ That he behav'd best o' them a', man,
+ And so, without strife, got settled for life,
+ A hundred a-year to his fa', man. 70
+ _And we ran, &c._
+
+ In Borrowstounness he resides with disgrace,
+ Till his neck stand in need of a thraw, man;
+ And then in a tether he'll swing from a ladder,
+ And go off the stage with a pa', man.
+ _And we ran, &c._
+
+ Rob Roy there stood watch on a hill, for to catch[L75]
+ The booty, for ought that I saw, man; 76
+ For he ne'er advanc'd from the place he was stanc'd,
+ Till no more was to do there at a', man.
+ _And we ran, &c._
+
+ So we all took the flight, and Moubray the wright,
+ And Lethem the smith was a braw man, 80
+ For he took a fit of the gout, which was wit,
+ By judging it time to withdraw, man.
+ _And we ran, &c._
+
+ And trumpet Maclean, whose breeks were not clean,
+ Through misfortune he happen'd to fa', man;
+ By saving his neck, his trumpet did break, 85
+ And came off without music at a', man.
+ _And we ran, &c._
+
+ So there such a race was as ne'er in that place was,
+ And as little chace was at a', man;
+ From each other they run without touk of drum,
+ They did not make use of a paw, man. 90
+ _And we ran, &c._
+
+ [Whether we ran, or they ran, or we wan, or they wan,
+ Or if there was winning at a', man,
+ There no man can tell, save our brave genarell,[L93]
+ Who first began running of a', man.
+ _And we ran, &c._
+
+ Wi' the Earl o' Seaforth, and the Cock o' the North;[L95] 95
+ But Florence ran fastest of a', man,
+ Save the laird o' Phinaven, who sware to be even
+ W' any general or peer o' them a', man.]
+ _And we ran, &c._
+
+6. Florence was the Marquis of Huntly's horse. HOGG.
+
+7-10. Lord Belhaven, the Earl of Leven, and the Earls of
+Rothes and Haddington, who all bore arms as volunteers in the royal
+army. Major-General Joseph Wightman, who commanded the centre of the
+royal army.
+
+11-14. John, fifth Duke of Roxburgh, a loyal volunteer.
+Archibald, Duke of Douglas, who commanded a body of his vassals in the
+royal army. Hugh Campbell, third Earl of Loudoun, of the royal army.
+The Earl of Ilay, brother to the Duke of Argyle. He came up to the
+field only a few hours before the battle, and had the misfortune to be
+wounded.
+
+15. Sir John Shaw of Greenock, an officer in the troop of
+volunteers, noted for his keen Whiggish spirit.
+
+17. Major-General Whitham, who commanded the left wing of
+the King's army.
+
+39-42. James, Lord Drummond, eldest son of the Earl of
+Perth, was Lieutenant-general of horse under Mar, and behaved with
+great gallantry. William Mackenzie, fifth Earl of Seaforth. The
+Viscount Kilsyth. The Viscount Strathallan. Lieutenant-general George
+Hamilton, commanding under the Earl of Mar.
+
+27-30. James, Earl of Panmure. The Honourable Harry Maule
+of Kellie, brother to the foregoing, whom he recaptured after the
+engagement.
+
+31-4. The Earls of Marischal and Linlithgow. The Chief of
+Glengary. Thomas Drummond of Logie Almond.
+
+35-8. The Earl of Strathmore, killed in the battle. The
+Chief of Clanranald. The Earl of Forfar--on the King's side--wounded
+in the engagement.
+
+43. James, fifth Earl of Southesk. The Marquis of
+Tullibardine, eldest son of the Duke of Athole.
+
+47-50. Lord Rollo. The Earl of Kintore. Lord Pitsligo. Lord
+Ogilvie, son of the Earl of Airly. Bruce, Laird of Clackmannan--the
+husband, I believe, of the old lady who knighted Robert Burns with the
+sword of Bruce, at Clackmannan Tower. Lord Burleigh.
+
+51. Major William Clephane. Alexander Robertson of Struan,
+chief of the Robertsons.
+
+55. Alexander, Marquis of Huntly, afterwards Duke of
+Gordon. The Master of Sinclair.
+
+59-74. These four stanzas seem to refer to a circumstance
+reported at the time; namely, that a person had left the Duke of
+Argyle's army, and joined the Earl of Mar's, before the battle,
+intending to act as a spy; and that, being employed by Mar to inform
+the left wing that the right was victorious, he gave a contrary
+statement, and, after seeing them retire accordingly, went back again
+to the royal army.
+
+75. The celebrated Rob Roy. This redoubted hero was
+prevented, by mixed motives, from joining either party. He could not
+fight against the Earl of Mar, consistent with his conscience, nor
+could he oppose the Duke of Argyle, without forfeiting the protection
+of a powerful friend.
+
+93. This point is made at the expense of a contradiction.
+See v. 27.
+
+95-7. _The Cock of the North_ is an honorary popular title
+of the Duke of Gordon. Carnegy of Finhaven.
+
+
+
+
+LORD DERWENTWATER.
+
+
+James Radcliff, Earl of Derwentwater, fell into the hands of the Whigs
+at the surrender of Preston, on the very day of the battle of
+Sheriff-Muir, and suffered death in February, 1716, for his
+participation in the rebellion. Smollet has described him as an
+amiable youth,--brave, open, generous, hospitable, and humane. "His
+fate drew tears from the spectators, and was a great misfortune to the
+country in which he lived. He gave bread to multitudes of people whom
+he employed on his estate;--the poor, the widow, and the orphan
+rejoiced in his bounty." (_History of England_, quoted by Cromek.) We
+are told that the _aurora borealis_ was remarkably vivid on the night
+of the earl's execution, and that this phenomenon is consequently
+still known in the north by the name of "Lord Derwentwater's Lights."
+
+Although this ballad is said to have been extremely popular in the
+North of England for a long time after the event which gave rise to
+it, no good copy has as yet been recovered. The following was obtained
+by Motherwell (_Minstrelsy_, p. 349) from the recitation of an old
+woman. Another copy, also from recitation but "restored to poetical
+propriety," is given in the _Gentleman's Magazine_, for June, 1825 (p.
+489), and fragments of a third in _Notes and Queries_, vol. xii. p.
+492. Two spurious ballads on the death of Lord Derwentwater have been
+sometimes received as genuine: one by Allan Cunningham, first
+published in Cromek's _Nithsdale and Galloway Song_, p. 129, another
+(_Lord Derwentwater's Goodnight_) by Surtees, printed in Hogg's
+_Jacobite Relics_, ii. 31. Still another modern imitation is _Young
+Ratcliffe_, in Sheldon's _Minstrelsy of the English Border_, p. 401.
+
+There is a ballad on the disgraceful capitulation of Preston in Hogg's
+_Jacobite Relics_, ii. 102, also, _Northumberland Garland_, p. 85,
+beginning "Mackintosh was a soldier brave."
+
+
+ Our King has wrote a long letter,
+ And sealed it ower with gold;
+ He sent it to my lord Dunwaters,
+ To read it if he could.
+
+ He has not sent it with a boy, 5
+ Nor with any Scots lord;
+ But he's sent it with the noblest knight
+ E'er Scotland could afford.
+
+ The very first line that my lord did read,
+ He gave a smirkling smile; 10
+ Before he had the half of it read,
+ The tears from his eyes did fall.
+
+ "Come saddle to me my horse," he said,
+ "Come saddle to me with speed;
+ For I must away to fair London town, 15
+ For to me there was ne'er more need."
+
+ Out and spoke his lady gay,
+ In childbed where she lay:
+ "I would have you make your will, my lord Dunwaters,
+ Before you go away." 20
+
+ "I leave to you, my eldest son,
+ My houses and my land;
+ I leave to you, my youngest son,
+ Ten thousand pounds in hand.
+
+ "I leave to you, my lady gay, -- 25
+ You are my wedded wife, --
+ I leave to you, the third of my estate,
+ That'll keep you in a lady's life."
+
+ They had not rode a mile but one,
+ Till his horse fell owre a stane: 30
+ "It's a warning good enough," my lord Dunwaters said,
+ "Alive I'll ne'er come hame."
+
+ When they came to fair London town,
+ Into the courtiers' hall,
+ The lords and knights of fair London town 35
+ Did him a traitor call.
+
+ "A traitor! a traitor!" says my lord,
+ "A traitor! how can that be?
+ An it be nae for the keeping five thousand men,
+ To fight for King Jamie. 40
+
+ "O all you lords and knights in fair London town,
+ Come out and see me die;
+ O all you lords and knights in fair London town,
+ Be kind to my ladie.
+
+ "There's fifty pounds in my right pocket, 45
+ Divide it to the poor;
+ There's other fifty in my left pocket,
+ Divide it from door to door."
+
+
+
+
+THE BATTLE OF TRANENT-MUIR, OR OF PRESTON-PANS
+
+Herd's _Scottish Songs_, i. 166: Ritson's _Scotish Songs_, ii. 76.
+
+
+This ballad is the work of Adam Skirving, a clever and opulent farmer,
+father of Archibald Skirving, the portrait painter. It was printed
+shortly after the battle as a broadside, and next appeared in _The
+Charmer_, vol. ii. p. 349, Edinb. 1751. Neither of those editions
+contains the eleventh stanza. The foot-notes commonly attached to the
+subsequent reprints are found in _The Charmer_. (Laing in Johnson's
+_Museum_, iv. 189*.)
+
+To Skirving is also attributed with great probability the excellent
+satirical song of _Johnnie Cope_, or _Cope are you waking yet_. The
+original words are in Ritson, _Scotish Songs_, ii. 84: another set at
+p. 82: a third, with alterations and additions by Burns, in Johnson's
+_Museum_, p. 242. Allan Cunningham once heard a peasant boast that he
+could sing _Johnnie Cope_ with all its _nineteen_ variations. See
+Appendix.
+
+The battle took place on the 22d of September, 1745, between the
+villages of Tranent and Prestonpans, a few miles from Edinburgh. The
+king's lieutenant-general, Sir John Cope, was disgracefully defeated
+by the Highlanders under Charles Edward, and nearly all his army
+killed or taken. The details of the conflict are vividly described in
+the 46th and 47th chapters of Waverley.
+
+
+ The Chevalier, being void of fear,
+ Did march up Birsle brae, man,
+ And thro' Tranent, e'er he did stent,
+ As fast as he could gae, man:
+ While General Cope did taunt and mock, 5
+ Wi' mony a loud huzza, man;
+ But e'er next morn proclaim'd the cock,
+ We heard another craw, man.
+
+ The brave Lochiel, as I heard tell,
+ Led Camerons on in clouds, man; 10
+ The morning fair, and clear the air,
+ They loos'd with devilish thuds, man.
+ Down guns they threw, and swords they drew
+ And soon did chace them aff, man;
+ On Seaton-Crafts they buft their chafts, 15
+ And gart them rin like daft, man.
+
+ The bluff dragoons swore blood and 'oons,
+ They'd make the rebels run, man;
+ And yet they flee when them they see,
+ And winna fire a gun, man: 20
+ They turn'd their back, the foot they brake,
+ Such terror seiz'd them a', man;
+ Some wet their cheeks, some fyl'd their breeks,
+ And some for fear did fa', man.
+
+ The volunteers prick'd up their ears, 25
+ And vow gin they were crouse, man;
+ But when the bairns saw't turn to earn'st,
+ They were not worth a louse man.
+ Maist feck gade hame; O fy for shame!
+ They'd better stay'd awa', man, 30
+ Than wi' cockade to make parade,
+ And do nae good at a', man.
+
+ Menteith the great, when hersell sh--,[L33]
+ Un'wares did ding him o'er man;
+ Yet wad nae stand to bear a hand, 35
+ But aff fou fast did scour, man;
+ O'er Soutra hill, e'er he stood still,
+ Before he tasted meat, man:
+ Troth he may brag of his swift nag,
+ That bare him aff sae fleet, man. 40
+
+ And Simpson keen, to clear the een[L41]
+ Of rebels far in wrang, man,
+ Did never strive wi' pistols five,
+ But gallop'd with the thrang, man:
+ He turn'd his back, and in a crack 45
+ Was cleanly out of sight man;
+ And thought it best; it was nae jest
+ W' Highlanders to fight, man.
+
+ 'Mangst a' the gang nane bade the bang
+ But twa, and ane was tane, man; 50
+ For Campbell rade, but Myrie staid,[L51]
+ And sair he paid the kain, man;
+ Fell skelps he got, was war than shot,
+ Frae the sharp-edg'd claymore, man;
+ Frae many a spout came running out 55
+ His reeking-het red gore, man.
+
+ But Gard'ner brave did still behave
+ Like to a hero bright, man;
+ His courage true, like him were few
+ That still despised flight, man; 60
+ For king and laws, and country's cause,
+ In honour's bed he lay, man;
+ His life, but not his courage, fled,
+ While he had breath to draw, man.
+
+ And Major Bowle, that worthy soul, 65
+ Was brought down to the ground, man;
+ His horse being shot, it was his lot
+ For to get mony a wound, man:
+ Lieutenant Smith, of Irish birth,[L69]
+ Frae whom he call'd for aid, man, 70
+ Being full of dread, lap o'er his head,
+ And wadna be gainsaid, man.
+
+ He made sic haste, sae spur'd his beast,
+ 'Twas little there he saw, man;
+ To Berwick rade, and safely said, 75
+ The Scots were rebels a', man.
+ But let that end, for well 'tis kend
+ His use and wont to lie, man;
+ The Teague is naught, he never faught,
+ When he had room to flee, man. 80
+
+ And Caddell drest, amang the rest,
+ With gun and good claymore, man,
+ On gelding grey he rode that way,
+ With pistols set before, man;
+ The cause was good, he'd spend his blood, 85
+ Before that he would yield, man;
+ But the night before, he left the cor,
+ And never fac'd the field, man.
+
+ But gallant Roger, like a soger,
+ Stood and bravely fought, man; 90
+ I'm wae to tell, at last he fell,
+ But mae down wi' him brought, man:
+ At point of death, wi' his last breath,
+ (Some standing round in ring, man,)
+ On's back lying flat, he wav'd his hat, 95
+ And cry'd, God save the King, man.
+
+ Some Highland rogues, like hungry dogs,
+ Neglecting to pursue, man,
+ About they fac'd, and in great haste
+ Upon the booty flew, man; 100
+ And they, as gain for all their pain,
+ Are deck'd wi' spoils of war, man;
+ Fu' bald can tell how hernainsell
+ Was ne'er sae pra before, man.
+
+ At the thorn-tree, which you may see 105
+ Bewest the meadow-mill, man,
+ There mony slain lay on the plain,
+ The clans pursuing still, man.
+ Sick unco' hacks, and deadly whacks,
+ I never saw the like, man; 110
+ Lost hands and heads cost them their deads,
+ That fell near Preston-dyke, man.
+
+ That afternoon, when a was done,
+ I gaed to see the fray, man;
+ But had I wist what after past, 115
+ I'd better staid away, man:
+ On Seaton sands, wi' nimble hands,
+ They pick'd my pockets bare, man;
+ But I wish ne'er to drie sick fear,
+ For a' the sum and mair, man. 120
+
+33. The minister of Longformacus, a volunteer; who, happening to come,
+the night before the battle, upon a Highlander easing nature at Preston,
+threw him over, and carried his gun as a trophy to Cope's camp.
+
+41. Another volunteer Presbyterian minister, who said he would convince
+the rebels of their error by the dint of his pistols; having, for that
+purpose, two in his pockets, two in his holsters, and one in his belt.
+
+51. Mr. Myrie was a student of physic, from Jamaica; he entered as a
+volunteer in Cope's army, and was miserably mangled by the broad-swords.
+
+69. Lieutenant Smith, who left Major Bowle when lying on the field of
+battle, and unable to move with his wound, was of Irish extraction. It
+is reported that after the publication of the ballad, he sent Mr.
+Skirving a challenge to meet him at Haddington, and answer for his
+conduct in treating him with such opprobrium. "Gang awa back," said Mr.
+Skirving to the messenger, "and tell Mr. Smith, I have nae leisure to
+gae to Haddington, but if he likes to come here, I'll tak a look o' him,
+and if I think I can fecht him, I'll fecht him, and if no--I'll just do
+as he did at Preston--I'll rin awa'." STENHOUSE.
+
+
+
+
+APPENDIX.
+
+
+
+
+THE BATTLE OF OTTERBURN. See p. 5.
+
+
+In the versions of this ballad given in the body of this work, the
+Earl of Douglas is represented as falling by the hand of Harry Percy.
+In the ballad which follows, taken from Herd's _Scottish Songs_, i.
+211, his death is ascribed to the revenge of an offended servant.
+Though there is not the slightest reason to give credence to this
+story, it has a certain foundation in tradition. Hume of Godscroft
+writes "there are that say, that he [Douglas] was not slain by the
+enemy, but by one of his own men, a groom of his chamber, whom he had
+struck the day before with a truncheon, in ordering of the battle,
+because he saw him make somewhat slowly to. And they name this man
+John Bickerton of Luffness, who left a part of his armour behind
+unfastened, and when he was in the greatest conflict, this servant of
+his came behind his back, and slew him thereat." Wintown says that the
+Earl was so intent on marshalling his forces, and so eager to be at
+the foe, that he neglected to arm himself carefully.--SCOTT's
+_Minstrelsy_, i. 350.
+
+
+ It fell, and about the Lammas time,
+ When husbandmen do win their hay,
+ Earl Douglas is to the English woods,
+ And a' with him to fetch a prey.
+
+ He has chosen the Lindsays light, 5
+ With them the gallant Gordons gay,
+ And the Earl of Fyfe, withouten strife,
+ And Sir Hugh Montgomery upon a grey.
+
+ They hae taken Northumberland,
+ And sae hae they the North-shire, 10
+ And the Otter-dale, they burnt it hale,
+ And set it a' into the fire.
+
+ Out then spack a bonny boy,[L13]
+ That serv'd ane o' Earl Douglas kin,
+ "Methinks I see an English host, 15
+ A-coming branken us upon."
+
+ "If this be true, my little boy,
+ An it be troth that thou tells me,
+ The brawest bower in Otterburn
+ This day shall be thy morning fee. 20
+
+ "But if it be false, my little boy,
+ But and a lie that thou tells me,
+ On the highest tree that's in Otterburn
+ With my awin hands I'll hing thee hie."
+
+ The boy's taen out his little penknife, 25
+ That hanget low down by his gare,
+ And he gae Earl Douglas a deadly wound,
+ Alas, a deep wound and a sare!
+
+ Earl Douglas said to Sir Hugh Montgomery,
+ "Tack thou the vanguard o' the three, 30
+ And bury me at yon bracken bush,
+ That stands upon yon lilly lee."
+
+ Then Percy and Montgomery met,
+ And weel I wat they war na fain;
+ They swapped swords, and they twa swat, 35
+ And ay the blood ran down between.
+
+ "O yield thee, yield thee, Percy," he said,
+ "Or else I vow I'll lay thee low;
+ "Whom to shall I yield," said Earl Percy,
+ "Now that I see it maun be so?" 40
+
+ "O yield thee to yon braken bush,
+ That grows upon yon lilly lee;
+ For there lies aneth yon braken bush[L43]
+ What aft has conquer'd mae than thee."
+
+ "I winna yield to a braken bush, 45
+ Nor yet will I unto a brier;
+ But I wald yield to Earl Douglas,
+ Or Sir Hugh Montgomery, if he was here."
+
+ As soon as he knew it was Montgomery,
+ He stuck his sword's point in the ground, 50
+ And Sir Hugh Montgomery was a courteous knight.
+ And he quickly caught him by the hand.
+
+ This deed was done at Otterburn,
+ About the breaking o' the day;
+ Earl Douglas was buried at the braken bush, 55
+ And Percy led captive away.
+
+13. At this place a recited copy, quoted by Finlay (_Scottish Ballads_,
+I. p. xviii.), has the following stanzas:--
+
+ Then out an spak a little wee boy,
+ And he was near o' Percy's kin,
+ "Methinks I see the English host,
+ A-coming branking us upon;
+
+ Wi' nine waggons scaling wide,
+ And seven banners bearing high;
+ It wad do any living gude
+ To see their bonny colours fly.
+
+43, 44. Supplied by Motherwell from a recited copy.
+
+
+
+
+THE BATTLE OF HARLAW.
+
+From Ramsay's _Evergreen_, i. 78.
+
+
+This battle took place at Harlaw, near Aberdeen, on the 24th of July,
+1411. The conflict was occasioned by a dispute concerning the
+succession to the earldom of Ross, between Donald, Lord of the Isles,
+and the son of the Regent, Robert, Duke of Albany, whose claim was
+supported by Alexander Stewart, Earl of Mar. The consequences of this
+battle were of the highest importance, inasmuch as the wild Celts of
+the Highlands and Islands received such a check that they never again
+combined for the conquest of the civilized parts of Scotland.
+
+The _Battle of Harlaw_ is one of the old ballads whose titles occur in
+the _Complaynt of Scotland_ (1548). A bag-pipe tune of that name is
+mentioned in Drummond of Hawthornden's mock-heroic poem, the _Polemo
+Middinia_:
+
+ "Interea ante alios dux Piper Laius heros,
+ Præcedens, magnamque gerens cum burdine pypam
+ Incipit Harlai cunctis sonare Batellum."
+
+Mr. Laing, in his _Early Metrical Tales_ (p. xlv.) speaks of an
+edition printed in the year 1668 as being "in the curious library of
+old Robert Myln." No copy is now known to exist of a date anterior to
+that which was published in Ramsay's _Evergreen_. Of the age of this
+copy the most opposite opinions have been maintained, some regarding
+the ballad as contemporary with the event, and others insinuating that
+Ramsay, or one of his friends, is chargeable with the authorship. This
+last notion has no other ground than the freedom which Ramsay
+notoriously took with his texts, and that freedom has very likely been
+exercised in the present case. We shall, perhaps, be going quite as
+far as is prudent, if we acknowledge that this may be one of "the
+Scots poems wrote by the ingenious before 1600." Most readers will
+agree with Lord Hailes that the language is as recent as the days of
+Queen Mary, or of James the Sixth. Sibbald, in his _Chronicle of
+Scottish Poetry_, iii. 288, has stated other objections to receiving
+this ballad for ancient, which seem, however, to be satisfactorily
+answered by Finlay, _Scottish Ballads_, i. 160.
+
+The copy of this ballad in _The Thistle of Scotland_, p. 75, is only
+Ramsay's, imperfectly remembered, or, what is quite as probable, here
+and there altered according to the taste of the illiterate editor. At
+page 92 of the same book, three stanzas are given of a burlesque song
+on this battle. A traditional ballad, recently recovered, is inserted
+at the end of this volume.
+
+
+ Frae Dunidier as I cam throuch,
+ Doun by the hill of Banochie,
+ Allangst the lands of Garioch,
+ Grit pitie was to heir and se
+ The noys and dulesum hermonie, 5
+ That evir that dreiry day did daw,
+ Cryand the corynoch on hie,
+ Alas! alas! for the Harlaw.
+
+ I marvlit quhat the matter meint,
+ All folks war in a fiery-fairy; 10
+ I wist nocht quha was fae or freind,
+ Zit quietly I did me carrie.
+ But sen the days of auld King Hairy,
+ Sic slauchter was not hard nor sene,
+ And thair I had nae tyme to tairy, 15
+ For bissiness in Aberdene.
+
+ Thus as I walkit on the way,
+ To Inverury as I went,
+ I met a man and bad him stay,
+ Requeisting him to mak me quaint 20
+ Of the beginning and the event,
+ That happenit thair at the Harlaw:
+ Then he entreited me tak tent,
+ And he the truth sould to me schaw.
+
+ Grit Donald of the Yles did claim 25
+ Unto the lands of Ross sum richt,
+ And to the governour he came,
+ Them for to haif, gif that he micht:
+ Quha saw his interest was but slicht,
+ And thairfore answerit with disdain; 30
+ He hastit hame baith day and nicht,
+ And sent nae bodward back again.
+
+ But Donald richt impatient
+ Of that answer Duke Robert gaif,
+ He vowed to God Omnipotent, 35
+ All the hale lands of Ross to haif,
+ Or ells be graithed in his graif:
+ He wald not quat his richt for nocht,
+ Nor be abusit lyk a slaif;
+ That bargin sould be deirly bocht. 40
+
+ Then haistylie he did command,
+ That all his weir-men should convene,
+ Ilk an well harnisit frae hand,
+ To meit and heir quhat he did mein:
+ He waxit wrath, and vowit tein, 45
+ Sweirand he wald surpryse the North,
+ Subdew the brugh of Aberdene,
+ Mearns, Angus, and all Fyfe to Forth.
+
+ Thus with the weir-men of the Yles,
+ Quha war ay at his bidding bown, 50
+ With money maid, with forss and wyls,
+ Richt far and neir, baith up and doun,
+ Throw mount and muir, frae town to town,
+ Allangst the lands of Ross he roars,
+ And all obey'd at his bandown, 55
+ Evin frae the North to Suthren shoars.
+
+ Then all the countrie men did zield;
+ For nae resistans durst they mak,
+ Nor offer battill in the feild,
+ Be forss of arms to beir him bak. 60
+ Syne they resolvit all and spak,
+ That best it was for thair behoif,
+ They sould him for thair chiftain tak,
+ Believing weil he did them luve.
+
+ Then he a proclamation maid, 65
+ All men to meet at Inverness,
+ Throw Murray land to mak a raid,
+ Frae Arthursyre unto Spey-ness.
+ And further mair, he sent express,
+ To schaw his collours and ensenzie, 70
+ To all and sindry, mair and less,
+ Throchout the bounds of Byne and Enzie.
+
+ And then throw fair Straithbogie land
+ His purpose was for to pursew,
+ And quhasoevir durst gainstand, 75
+ That race they should full sairly rew.
+ Then he bad all his men be trew,
+ And him defend by forss and slicht,
+ And promist them rewardis anew,
+ And mak them men of mekle micht. 80
+
+ Without resistans, as he said,
+ Throw all these parts he stoutly past,
+ Quhair sum war wae, and sum war glaid,
+ But Garioch was all agast.
+ Throw all these feilds he sped him fast, 85
+ For sic a sicht was never sene;
+ And then, forsuith, he langd at last
+ To se the bruch of Aberdene.
+
+ To hinder this prowd enterprise,
+ The stout and michty Erle of Marr 90
+ With all his men in arms did ryse,
+ Even frae Curgarf to Craigyvar:
+ And down the syde of Don richt far,
+ Angus and Mearns did all convene
+ To fecht, or Donald came sae nar 95
+ The ryall bruch of Aberdene.
+
+ And thus the martial Erle of Marr
+ Marcht with his men in richt array;
+ Befoir the enemie was aware,
+ His banner bauldly did display. 100
+ For weil enewch they kend the way,
+ And all their semblance weil they saw:
+ Without all dangir, or delay,
+ Come haistily to the Harlaw.
+
+ With him the braif Lord Ogilvy, 105
+ Of Angus sheriff principall,
+ The constabill of gude Dundè,
+ The vanguard led before them all.
+ Suppose in number they war small,
+ Thay first richt bauldlie did pursew, 110
+ And maid thair faes befor them fall,
+ Quha then that race did sairly rew.
+
+ And then the worthy Lord Salton,
+ The strong undoubted Laird of Drum,
+ The stalwart Laird of Lawristone, 115
+ With ilk thair forces, all and sum.
+ Panmuir with all his men did cum,
+ The provost of braif Aberdene,
+ With trumpets and with tuick of drum,
+ Came schortly in thair armour schene. 120
+
+ These with the Earle of Marr came on,
+ In the reir-ward richt orderlie,
+ Thair enemies to sett upon;
+ In awfull manner hardily,
+ Togither vowit to live and die, 125
+ Since they had marchit mony mylis,
+ For to suppress the tyrannie
+ Of douted Donald of the Yles.
+
+ But he in number ten to ane,
+ Richt subtilè alang did ryde, 130
+ With Malcomtosch and fell Maclean,
+ With all thair power at thair syde;
+ Presumeand on thair strenth and pryde,
+ Without all feir or ony aw,
+ Richt bauldie battill did abyde, 135
+ Hard by the town of fair Harlaw.
+
+ The armies met, the trumpet sounds,
+ The dandring drums alloud did touk,
+ Baith armies byding on the bounds,
+ Till ane of them the feild sould bruik. 140
+ Nae help was thairfor, nane wald jouk,
+ Ferss was the fecht on ilka syde,
+ And on the ground lay mony a bouk
+ Of them that thair did battill byd.
+
+ With doutsum victorie they dealt, 145
+ The bludy battil lastit lang;
+ Each man his nibours forss thair felt,
+ The weakest aft-tymes gat the wrang:
+ Thair was nae mowis thair them amang,
+ Naithing was hard but heavy knocks, 150
+ That eccho mad a dulefull sang,
+ Thairto resounding frae the rocks.
+
+ But Donalds men at last gaif back,
+ For they war all out of array:
+ The Earl of Marris men throw them brak, 155
+ Pursewing shairply in thair way,
+ Thair enemys to tak or slay,
+ Be dynt of forss to gar them yield;
+ Quha war richt blyth to win away,
+ And sae for feirdness tint the feild. 160
+
+ Then Donald fled, and that full fast,
+ To mountains hich for all his micht;
+ For he and his war all agast,
+ And ran till they war out of sicht;
+ And sae of Ross he lost his richt, 165
+ Thocht mony men with hem he brocht;
+ Towards the Yles fled day and nicht,
+ And all he wan was deirlie bocht.
+
+ This is (quod he) the richt report
+ Of all that I did heir and knaw; 170
+ Thocht my discourse be sumthing schort,
+ Tak this to be a richt suthe saw:
+ Contrairie God and the kings law,
+ Thair was spilt mekle Christian blude,
+ Into the battil of Harlaw: 175
+ This is the sum, sae I conclude.
+
+ But zit a bonny quhyle abyde,
+ And I sall mak thee cleirly ken
+ Quhat slauchter was on ilkay syde,
+ Of Lowland and of Highland men: 180
+ Quha for thair awin haif evir bene;
+ These lazie lowns micht weil be spaird,
+ Chessit lyke deirs into their dens,
+ And gat thair waiges for reward.
+
+ Malcomtosh, of the clan heid cheif, 185
+ Macklean, with his grit hauchty heid,
+ With all thair succour and relief,
+ War dulefully dung to the deid:
+ And now we are freid of thair feid,
+ They will not lang to cum again; 190
+ Thousands with them, without remeid,
+ On Donald's syd that day war slain.
+
+ And on the uther syde war lost,
+ Into the feild that dismal day,
+ Chief men of worth, of mekle cost, 195
+ To be lamentit sair for ay.
+ The Lord Saltoun of Rothemay,
+ A man of micht and mekle main;
+ Grit dolour was for his decay,
+ That sae unhappylie was slain. 200
+
+ Of the best men amang them was
+ The gracious gude Lord Ogilvy,
+ The sheriff principal of Angus,
+ Renownit for truth and equitie,
+ For faith and magnanimitie: 205
+ He had few fallows in the field,
+ Zet fell by fatall destinie,
+ For he nae ways wad grant to zield.
+
+ Sir James Scrimgeor of Duddap, knicht,
+ Grit constabill of fair Dundè, 210
+ Unto the dulefull deith was dicht:
+ The kingis cheif banner man was he,
+ A valziant man of chevalrie,
+ Quhais predecessors wan that place
+ At Spey, with gude King William frie, 215
+ Gainst Murray and Macduncans race.
+
+ Gude Sir Allexander Irving,
+ The much renownit laird of Drum,
+ Nane in his days was bettir sene,
+ Quhen they war semblit all and sum. 220
+ To praise him we sould not be dumm,
+ For valour, witt, and worthyness;
+ To end his days he ther did cum,
+ Quhois ransom is remeidyless.
+
+ And thair the knicht of Lawriston 225
+ Was slain into his armour schene,
+ And gude Sir Robert Davidson,
+ Quha provest was of Aberdene:
+ The knicht of Panmure, as was sene,
+ A mortall man in armour bricht, 230
+ Sir Thomas Murray, stout and kene,
+ Left to the warld thair last gude nicht.
+
+ Thair was not sen King Keneths days
+ Sic strange intestine crewel stryf
+ In Scotland sene, as ilk man says, 235
+ Quhair mony liklie lost thair lyfe;
+ Quhilk maid divorce twene man and wyfe,
+ And mony childrene fatherless,
+ Quhilk in this realme has bene full ryfe:
+ Lord help these lands, our wrangs redress. 240
+
+ In July, on Saint James his even,
+ That four and twenty dismall day,
+ Twelve hundred, ten score and eleven
+ Of zeirs sen Chryst, the suthe to say,
+ Men will remember, as they may, 245
+ Quhen thus the veritie they knaw,
+ And mony a ane may murn for ay,
+ The brim battil of the Harlaw.
+
+
+
+
+KING HENRIE THE FIFTH'S CONQUEST.
+
+_Ancient Poems, Ballads, and Songs of the Peasantry of England._ Percy
+Society, vol. xvii. p. 52.
+
+
+"From the singing of the late Francis King, of Skipton in Craven, an
+eccentric character, who was well known in the western dales of
+Yorkshire as 'the Skipton Minstrel.' King's version does not contain
+the third verse, which is obtained, as is also the title, from a
+modern broadside, from whence also one or two verbal corrections are
+made, of too trifling a nature to particularize. The tune to which
+King used to sing it, is the same as that of _The Bold Pedlar and
+Robin Hood_."
+
+Another ballad, much inferior in spirit to this, on the Battle of
+Agincourt, is to be found in _The Crown Garland of Golden Roses_ (ed.
+1659), Percy Soc. vol. xv. p. 65. Percy inserted in the _Reliques_,
+ii. 26, a song on this battle. Another, quoted in Heywood's _Edward
+Fourth_, and therefore popular before 1600, is printed in Mr.
+Collier's preface to Shakespeare's _Henry Fifth_ (new edition).
+
+The story of the tennis-balls is adopted from the chronicles by
+Shakespeare. "It is reported by some historians," says Hume, "that the
+Dauphin, in derision of Henry's claims and dissolute character, sent
+him a box of tennis-balls, intimating that mere implements of play
+were better adapted to him than the instruments of war. But this story
+is by no means credible; the great offers made by the court of France
+show that they had already entertained a just idea of Henry's
+character, as well as of their own situation." _History of England_,
+ch. xix.
+
+
+ As our king lay musing on his bed,
+ He bethought himself upon a time
+ Of a tribute that was due from France,
+ Had not been paid for so long a time.
+ _Down, a-down, a-down, a-down_,
+ _Down, a-down, a-down._
+
+ He callèd on his trusty page, 5
+ His trusty page then callèd he,
+ "O you must go to the king of France,
+ O you must go right speedilie.
+
+ "And tell him of my tribute due,
+ Ten ton of gold that's due to me, 10
+ That he must send me my tribute home,
+ Or in French land he soon will me see."
+
+ O then away went the trusty page,
+ Away, away, and away went he,
+ Until he came to the king of France; 15
+ Lo! he fell down on his bended knee.
+
+ "My master greets you, worthy Sire;
+ Ten ton of gold there is due, says he;
+ You must send him his tribute home,
+ Or in French land you will soon him see." 20
+
+ "Your master's young, and of tender years,
+ Not fit to come into my degree;
+ But I will send him three tennis balls,
+ That with them learn to play may he."
+
+ O then away came the trusty page, 25
+ Away, and away, and away came he,
+ Until he came to our gracious king;
+ Lo! he fell down on his bended knee.
+
+ "What news, what news, my trusty page,
+ What news, what news, hast thou brought to me?" 30
+ "I've brought such news from the king of France,
+ That you and he will ne'er agree.
+
+ "He says you're young, and of tender years,
+ Not fit to come into his degree;
+ But he will send you three tennis balls, 35
+ That with them you may learn to play."
+
+ O then bespoke our noble king,
+ A solemn vow then vowèd he;
+ "I'll promise him such tennis balls,
+ As in French lands he ne'er did see. 40
+
+ "Go, call up Cheshire and Lancashire,
+ And Derby hills, that are so free;
+ Not a married man, nor a widow's son,
+ For the widow's cry shall not go with me."
+
+ They called up Cheshire and Lancashire, 45
+ And Derby lads that were so free;
+ Not a married man, nor a widow's son,
+ Yet they were a jovial bold companie.
+
+ O then he sailed to fair French land,
+ With drums and trumpets so merrilie; 50
+ O then bespoke the king of France,
+ "Yonder comes proud king Henrie."
+
+ The first fire that the Frenchmen gave,
+ They killed our Englishmen so free;
+ We killed ten thousand of the French, 55
+ And the rest of them they were forced to flee.
+
+ And then we marched to Paris gates,
+ With drums and trumpets so merrilie;
+ O then bespoke the king of France,
+ "Lord have mercy on my poor men and me! 60
+
+ "Go! tell him I'll send home his tribute due,
+ Ten ton of gold that is due from me;
+ And the fairest flower that is in our French land
+ To the Rose of England it shall go free."
+
+
+
+
+JANE SHORE.
+
+
+The story and character of Jane Shore can best be read in a charmingly
+written passage of Sir Thomas More's _History of Edward Fifth_, quoted
+in Percy's _Reliques_, ii. 268. The ballad adheres to matter of fact
+with a fidelity very uncommon. In Drayton's _England's Heroical
+Epistles_ is one from Jane Shore to King Edward, and in the notes he
+thus gives her portrait: "Her stature was meane, her haire of a dark
+yellow, her face round and full, her eye gray, delicate harmony being
+betwixt each part's proportion, and each proportion's colour, her body
+fat, white, and smooth, her countenance cheerfull and like to her
+condition." (Cited by Percy.)
+
+This ballad is taken from the Collection of 1723, vol. i. p. 145. The
+full title is: _The Woeful Lamentation of Jane Shore, a Goldsmith's
+Wife in London, sometime King Edward the Fourth's Concubine_. The same
+version, with trifling variations, is found in Percy's _Reliques_, ii.
+274, and Ritson's _Ancient Songs_, ii. 128. In the _Garland of Good
+Will_ there is another piece on the same subject, (Percy Society, vol.
+xxx. p. 9, _The Lamentation of Shore's Wife_,) and in the Collection
+of 1723, a burlesque song, called _King Edward and Jane Shore_ (vol.
+i. p. 153).
+
+
+ If Rosamond, that was so fair,
+ Had cause her sorrow to declare,
+ Then let Jane Shore with sorrow sing,
+ That was beloved of a king.
+
+ Then, wanton wives, in time amend,
+ For love and beauty will have end.
+
+ In maiden years my beauty bright 5
+ Was loved dear by lord and knight;
+ But yet the love that they requir'd,
+ It was not as my friends desir'd.
+
+ My parents they, for thirst of gain,
+ A husband for me did obtain; 10
+ And I, their pleasure to fulfil,
+ Was forc'd to wed against my will.
+
+ To Matthew Shore I was a wife,
+ Till lust brought ruin to my life;
+ And then my life I lewdly spent, 15
+ Which makes my soul for to lament.
+
+ In Lombard-street I once did dwell,
+ As London yet can witness well;
+ Where many gallants did behold
+ My beauty in a shop of gold. 20
+
+ I spread my plumes, as wantons do,
+ Some sweet and secret friende to wooe,
+ Because my love I did not find
+ Agreeing to my wanton mind.
+
+ At last my name in court did ring 25
+ Into the ears of England's king,
+ Who came and lik'd, and love requir'd,
+ But I made coy what he desir'd.
+
+ Yet Mistress Blague, a neighbour near,
+ Whose friendship I esteemed dear, 30
+ Did say, "It is a gallant thing
+ To be beloved of a king."
+
+ By her perswasions I was led
+ For to defile my marriage-bed,
+ And wronge my wedded husband Shore, 35
+ Whom I had lov'd ten years before.
+
+ In heart and mind I did rejoyce,
+ That I had made so sweet a choice;
+ And therefore did my state resign,
+ To be King Edward's concubine. 40
+
+ From city then to court I went,
+ To reap the pleasures of content;
+ There had the joys that love could bring,
+ And knew the secrets of a king.
+
+ When I was thus advanc'd on high, 45
+ Commanding Edward with mine eye,
+ For Mistress Blague I in short space
+ Obtain'd a living from his Grace.
+
+ No friend I had, but in short time
+ I made unto promotion climb; 50
+ But yet for all this costly pride,
+ My husbande could not me abide.
+
+ His bed, tho' wronged by a king,
+ His heart with deadly grief did sting;
+ From England then he goes away 55
+ To end his life beyond the sea.[L56]
+
+ He could not live to see his name
+ Impaired by my wanton shame;
+ Altho' a prince of peerless might
+ Did reap the pleasure of his right. 60
+
+ Long time I lived in the court,
+ With lords and ladies of great sort;
+ And when I smil'd, all men were glad,
+ But when I mourn'd, my prince grew sad.
+
+ But yet an honest mind I bore 65
+ To helpless people, that were poor;
+ I still redress'd the orphan's cry,
+ And sav'd their lives condemn'd to dye.
+
+ I still had ruth on widows tears,
+ I succour'd babes of tender years; 70
+ And never look'd for other gain
+ But love and thanks, for all my pain.
+
+ At last my royal king did dye,
+ And then my days of woe grew nigh;
+ When crook-back'd Richard got the crown, 75
+ King Edward's friends were soon put down.
+
+ I then was punish'd for my sin,
+ That I so long had lived in;
+ Yea, every one that was his friend,
+ This tyrant brought to shameful end. 80
+
+ Then for my lewd and wanton life,[L81]
+ That made a strumpet of a wife,
+ I penance did in Lombard-street,
+ In shameful manner in a sheet:
+
+ Where many thousands did me view, 85
+ Who late in court my credit knew;
+ Which made the tears run down my face,
+ To think upon my foul disgrace.
+
+ Not thus content, they took from mee
+ My goods, my livings, and my fee, 90
+ And charg'd that none should me relieve,
+ Nor any succour to me give.
+
+ Then unto Mistress Blague I went,
+ To whom my jewels I had sent,
+ In hope thereby to ease my want, 95
+ When riches fail'd, and love grew scant.
+
+ But she deny'd to me the same,
+ When in my need for them I came;
+ To recompence my former love,
+ Out of her doors she did me shove. 100
+
+ So love did vanish with my state,
+ Which now my soul repents too late;
+ Therefore example take by me,
+ For friendship parts in poverty.
+
+ But yet one friend among the rest, 105
+ Whom I before had seen distress'd,
+ And sav'd his life, condemn'd to dye,
+ Did give me food to succour me:
+
+ For which, by law it was decreed
+ That he was hanged for that deed; 110
+ His death did grieve me so much more,
+ Than had I dy'd myself therefore.
+
+ Then those to whom I had done good
+ Durst not afford mee any food;[L114]
+ Whereby in vain I begg'd all day, 115
+ And still in streets by night I lay.
+
+ My gowns beset with pearl and gold,
+ Were turn'd to simple garments old;
+ My chains and jems and golden rings,
+ To filthy rags and loathsome things. 120
+
+ Thus was I scorn'd of maid and wife,
+ For leading such a wicked life;
+ Both sucking babes and children small,
+ Did make a pastime at my fall.
+
+ I could not get one bit of bread, 125
+ Whereby my hunger might be fed:
+ Nor drink, but such as channels yield,
+ Or stinking ditches in the field.
+
+ Thus, weary of my life, at length
+ I yielded up my vital strength, 130
+ Within a ditch of loathsome scent,
+ Where carrion dogs do much frequent:
+
+ The which now since my dying day,
+ Is Shoreditch call'd, as writers say;[L134]
+ Which is a witness of my sin, 135
+ For being concubine to a king.
+
+ You wanton wives, that fall to lust,
+ Be you assur'd that God is just;
+ Whoredom shall not escape his hand,
+ Nor pride unpunish'd in this land. 140
+
+ If God to me such shame did bring,
+ That yielded only to a king,
+ How shall they scape that daily run
+ To practise sin with every man?
+
+ You husbands, match not but for love, 145
+ Lest some disliking after prove;
+ Women, be warn'd when you are wives,
+ What plagues are due to sinful lives:
+ Then, maids and wives, in time amend,
+ For love and beauty will have end.
+
+56. upon.
+
+81. rude.
+
+114. restore.
+
+134. But it had this name long before; being so called from its being a
+common sewer (vulgarly shore) or drain.--PERCY.
+
+
+
+
+A TRUE RELATION OE THE LIFE AND DEATH OF SIR ANDREW BARTON, A PYRATE
+AND ROVER ON THE SEAS.
+
+
+This copy of _Sir Andrew Barton_ is to be found in _Old Ballads_
+(1723) vol. i. 159, Ritson's _Ancient Songs_, ii. 204, Moore's
+_Pictorial Book of Ancient Ballad Poetry_, p. 256, and _Early Naval
+Ballads of England_, Percy Society, vol. ii. p. 4, with only
+exceedingly trifling variations. We have followed the last, where the
+ballad is given from a black-letter copy in the British Museum,
+"printed by and for W. O., and sold by the booksellers."
+
+
+ When Flora with her fragrant flowers,
+ Bedeckt the earth so trim and gay,
+ And Neptune with his dainty showers,
+ Came to present the month of May,
+ King Henry would a-hunting ride; 5
+ Over the river Thames passed he,
+ Unto a mountain-top also
+ Did walk, some pleasure for to see.
+
+ Where forty merchants he espy'd,
+ With fifty sail came towards him, 10
+ Who then no sooner were arriv'd,
+ But on their knees did thus complain;
+ "An't please your grace, we cannot sail
+ To France no voyage to be sure,
+ But Sir Andrew Barton makes us quail, 15
+ And robs us of our marchant ware."
+
+ Vext was the king, and turning him,
+ Said to the lords of high degree,
+ "Have I ne'er a lord within my realm,
+ Dare fetch that traytor unto me?" 20
+ To him reply'd Charles Lord Howard,
+ "I will, my liege, with heart and hand;
+ If it will please you grant me leave," he said,
+ "I will perform what you command."
+
+ To him then spoke King Henry, 25
+ "I fear, my lord, you are too young."
+ "No whit at all, my liege," quoth he;
+ "I hope to prove in valour strong.
+ The Scotch knight I vow to seek,
+ In what place soever he be, 30
+ And bring ashore with all his might,
+ Or into Scotland he shall carry me."
+
+ "A hundred men," the king then said,
+ "Out of my realm shall chosen be,
+ Besides sailors and ship-boys, 35
+ To guide a great ship on the sea.
+ Bowmen and gunners of good skill,
+ Shall for this service chosen be,
+ And they at thy command and will
+ In all affairs shall wait on thee." 40
+
+ Lord Howard call'd a gunner then,
+ Who was the best in all the realm,
+ His age was threescore years and ten,
+ And Peter Simon was his name.
+ My lord call'd then a bow-man rare, 45
+ Whose active hands had gained fame
+ A gentleman born in Yorkshire,
+ And William Horsely was his name.
+
+ "Horsely!" quoth he, "I must to sea,
+ To seek a traytor, with good speed: 50
+ Of a hundred bow-men brave," quoth he,
+ "I have chosen thee to be the head."
+ "If you, my lord, have chosen me
+ Of a hundred men to be the head,
+ Upon the mainmast I'll hanged be, 55
+ If twelve-score I miss one shilling's breadth."
+
+ Lord Howard then of courage bold,
+ Went to the sea with pleasant cheer,
+ Not curbed with winter's piercing cold,
+ Tho' it was the stormy time of year. 60
+ Not long had he been on sea,
+ More in days than number three,
+ But one Henry Hunt then he espy'd,
+ A merchant of Newcastle was he.
+
+ To him Lord Howard call'd out amain, 65
+ And strictly charged him to stand;
+ Demanding then from whence he came,
+ Or where he did intend to land.
+ The merchant then made answer soon,
+ With heavy heart and careful mind, 70
+ "My lord, my ship it doth belong
+ Unto New-castle upon Tine."
+
+ "Canst thou show me," the lord did say,
+ "As thou didst sail by day and night,
+ A Scottish rover on the sea, 75
+ His name is Andrew Barton, knight?"
+ Then the merchant sighed and said,
+ With grieved mind and well-a-way,
+ "But over well I know that wight,
+ I was his prisoner yesterday. 80
+
+ "As I, my lord, did sail from France,
+ A Burdeaue voyage to take so far,
+ I met with Sir Andrew Barton thence,
+ Who robb'd me of my merchant ware.
+ And mickle debts God knows I owe, 85
+ And every man doth crave his own;
+ And I am bound to London now,
+ Of our gracious king to beg a boon."
+
+ "Show me him," said Lord Howard then,
+ "Let me once the villain see, 90
+ And every penny he hath from thee ta'en,
+ I'll double the same with shillings three."
+ "Now, God forbid," the merchant said,
+ "I fear your aim that you will miss;
+ God bless you from his tyranny, 95
+ For little you think what man he is.
+
+ "He is brass within and steel without,
+ His ship most huge and mighty strong,
+ With eighteen pieces of ordinance,
+ He carrieth on each side along. 100
+ With beams for his top-castle,
+ As also being huge and high,
+ That neither English nor Portugal
+ Can Sir Andrew Barton pass by."
+
+ "Hard news thou shewst," then said the lord, 105
+ "To welcome stranger to the sea;
+ But as I said, I'll bring him aboard,
+ Or into Scotland he shall carry me."
+ The merchant said, "If thou will do so,
+ Take councel, then, I pray withal: 110
+ Let no man to his top-castle go,
+ Nor strive to let his beams downfall.
+
+ "Lend me seven pieces of ordnance then,
+ Of each side of my ship," said he,
+ "And to-morrow, my Lord, 115
+ Again I will your honour see.
+ A glass I set as may be seen,
+ Whether you sail by day or night;
+ And to-morrow, be sure before seven,
+ You shall see Sir Andrew Barton, knight." 120
+
+ The merchant set my lord a glass,
+ So well apparent in his sight,
+ That on the morrow, as his promise was,
+ He saw Sir Andrew Barton, knight:
+ The lord then swore a mighty oath, 125
+ "Now by the heavens that be of might,
+ By faith, believe me, and my troth,
+ I think he is a worthy knight."
+
+ "Fetch me my lyon out of hand,"[L129]
+ Saith the lord, "with rose and streamer high; 130
+ Set up withal a willow-wand,
+ That merchant like, I may pass by:"
+ Thus bravely did Lord Howard pass,
+ And on anchor rise so high;
+ No top-sail at last he cast, 135
+ But as a foe did him defie.
+
+ Sir Andrew Barton seeing him
+ Thus scornfully to pass by,
+ As tho' he cared not a pin
+ For him and his company; 140
+ Then called he his men amain,
+ "Fetch back yon pedlar now," quoth he,
+ "And ere this way he comes again,
+ I'll teach him well his courtesie."
+
+ A piece of ordnance soon was shot 145
+ By this proud pirate fiercely then,
+ Into Lord Howard's middle deck,
+ Which cruel shot killed fourteen men.
+ He called then Peter Simon, he:
+ "Look how thy word do stand instead, 150
+ For thou shall be hanged on main-mast,
+ If thou miss twelve score one penny breadth."
+
+ Then Peter Simon gave a shot,
+ Which did Sir Andrew mickle scare,
+ In at his deck it came so hot, 155
+ Killed fifteen of his men of war.
+ "Alas," then said the pirate stout,
+ "I am in danger now I see;
+ This is some lord, I greatly fear,
+ That is set on to conquer me." 160
+
+ Then Henry Hunt, with rigour hot,
+ Came bravely on the other side,
+ Who likewise shot in at his deck,
+ And killed fifty of his men beside.
+ Then "Out alas," Sir Andrew cryd, 165
+ "What may a man now think or say!
+ Yon merchant thief that pierceth me,
+ He was my prisoner yesterday."
+
+ Then did he on Gordion call
+ Unto the top castle for to go, 170
+ And bid his beams he should let fall,
+ For he greatly fear'd an overthrow.
+ The lord call'd Horsely now in haste:
+ "Look that thy word stand in stead,
+ For thou shall be hanged on main mast, 175
+ If thou miss twelve score a shilling's breadth."
+
+ Then up [the] mast tree swerved he,
+ This stout and mighty Gordion;
+ But Horsely he most happily
+ Shot him under his collar-bone: 180
+ Then call'd he on his nephew then,
+ Said, "Sister's son, I have no mo,
+ Three hundred pound I will give thee,
+ If thou will to top-castle go."
+
+ Then stoutly he began to climb, 185
+ From off the mast scorn'd to depart;
+ But Horsely soon prevented him,
+ And deadly pierced him to the heart.
+ His men being slain, then up amain
+ Did this proud pirate climb with speed, 190
+ For armour of proof he had on,
+ And did not dint of arrows dread.
+
+ "Come hither, Horseley," said the lord,
+ "See thou thy arrows aim aright;
+ Great means to thee I will afford, 195
+ And if thou speedst, I'll make thee knight."
+ Sir Andrew did climb up the tree,
+ With right good will and all his main;
+ Then upon the breast hit Horsley he,
+ Till the arrow did return again. 200
+
+ Then Horsley spied a private place,
+ With a perfect eye, in a secret part;
+ His arrow swiftly flew apace,
+ And smote Sir Andrew to the heart.
+ "Fight on, fight on, my merry men all, 205
+ A little I am hurt, yet not slain;
+ I'll but lie down and bleed awhile,
+ And come and fight with you again.
+
+ "And do not," said he, "fear English rogues,
+ And of your foes stand not in awe, 210
+ But stand fast by St. Andrew's crosse,
+ Until you hear my whistle blow."
+ They never heard this whistle blow,
+ Which made them all full sore afraid.
+ Then Horsely said, "My Lord, aboard, 215
+ For now Sir Andrew Barton's dead."
+
+ Thus boarded they his gallant ship,
+ With right good will and all their main;
+ Eighteen score Scots alive in it,
+ Besides as many more was slain. 220
+ The lord went where Sir Andrew lay,
+ And quickly thence cut off his head;
+ "I should forsake England many a day,
+ If thou wert alive as thou art dead."
+
+ Thus from the wars Lord Howard came, 225
+ With mickle joy and triumphing;
+ The pirate's head he brought along
+ For to present unto our king:
+ Who haply unto him did say,
+ Before he well knew what was done, 230
+ "Where is the knight and pirate gay,
+ That I myself may give the doom?"
+
+ "You may thank God," then said the lord,
+ "And four men in the ship," quoth he,
+ "That we are safely come ashore, 235
+ Sith you never had such an enemy;
+ That is Henry Hunt, and Peter Simon,
+ William Horsely, and Peter's son;[L238]
+ Therefore reward them for their pains,
+ For they did service at their turn." 240
+
+ To the merchant therefore the King he said,
+ "In lieu of what he hath from thee tane,
+ I give thee a noble a-day,
+ Sir Andrew's whistle and his chain:
+ To Peter Simon a crown a-day, 245
+ And half-a-crown a-day to Peter's son,
+ And that was for a shot so gay,
+ Which bravely brought Sir Andrew down.
+
+ "Horsely, I will make thee a knight,
+ And in Yorkshire thou shalt dwell: 250
+ Lord Howard shall Earl Bury hight,
+ For this act he deserveth well.
+ Ninety pound to our Englishmen,
+ Who in this fight did stoutly stand;
+ And twelve-pence a-day to the Scots, till they 255
+ Come to my brother king's high land."
+
+129-136. In some copies this stanza is wrongly placed after the next.
+
+238. The services of Peter's son, not mentioned in this ballad, are duly
+recorded in the older, unabridged copy. See v. 53-56, on p. 64.
+
+
+
+
+THE BATTLE OF CORICHIE ON THE HILL OF FAIR, FOUGHT OCT. 28, 1562.
+
+From Evans's _Old Ballads_, iii. 132.
+
+
+The favor shown by Queen Mary to her brother Lord James Stuart, on her
+first coming to Scotland, excited a violent jealousy in Gordon, Earl
+of Huntly, who, as a Catholic, and the head of a loyal and powerful
+family in the North, expected no slight distinction from his
+sovereign. This jealousy broke out into open hostility when the Queen,
+in 1562, conferred on her brother the earldom of Murray, the honors
+and revenues of which had been enjoyed by Huntly since 1548. Mary was
+at this time on a progress in the northern part of her kingdom,
+attended by the new earl and a small escort. Huntly collected his
+vassals and posted himself at a place called the Fair Bank, or
+Corichie, near Aberdeen. Murray having increased his forces by seven
+or eight hundred of the Forbeses and Leslies, who, although attached
+to the Huntly faction, dared not disobey the Queen's summons, marched
+to the attack. As little confidence could be placed in the good faith
+of the northern recruits, he ordered them to begin the battle. In
+obedience to this command, they advanced against the enemy, but
+instantly recoiled and retreated in a pretended panic on Murray's
+reserve, followed by the Gordons in disorder. The Queen's party
+received both the flying and the pursuers with an impenetrable front
+of lances. Huntly was repulsed, and the other northern clans, seeing
+how the victory was going, turned their swords upon their friends.
+Many of the Gordons were slain, and the Earl, who was old and fat,
+being thrown from his horse, was smothered in the retreat. His sons
+John and Adam were taken prisoners, and the former was put to death at
+Aberdeen the day after the battle.
+
+The following ballad, it will be perceived, is utterly at variance
+with the facts of history. It was first printed in Evans's _Old
+Ballads_, and is said to be the composition of one Forbes,
+schoolmaster at Mary-Culter, on Dee-side. The dialect is broad
+Aberdeen.
+
+
+ Murn ye heighlands, and murn ye leighlands,
+ I trow ye hae meikle need;
+ For thi bonny burn o' Corichie
+ His run this day wi' bleid.
+
+ Thi hopefu' laird o' Finliter,[L5] 5
+ Erle Huntly's gallant son,
+ For thi love hi bare our beauteous quine
+ His gar't fair Scotland mone.
+
+ Hi his braken his ward in Aberdene,
+ Throu dreid o' thi fause Murry, 10
+ And his gather't the gentle Gordone clan,
+ An' his father, auld Huntly.
+
+ Fain wid he tak our bonny guide quine,
+ An' beare hir awa' wi' him;
+ But Murry's slee wyles spoil't a' thi sport, 15
+ An' reft him o' lyfe and lim.
+
+ Murry gar 't rayse thi tardy Merns men,
+ An' Angis, an' mony ane mair,
+ Erle Morton, and the Byres Lord Linsay,
+ An' campit at thi hill o' Fare. 20
+
+ Erle Huntlie came wi' Haddo Gordone,
+ An' countit ane thusan men;
+ But Murry had abien twal hunder,
+ Wi' sax score horsemen and ten.
+
+ They soundit thi bougills an' the trumpits, 25
+ An' marchit on in brave array,
+ Till the spiers an' the axis forgatherit,
+ An' than did begin thi fray.
+
+ Thi Gordones sae fercelie did fecht it,
+ Withouten terrer or dreid, 30
+ That mony o' Murry's men lay gaspin,
+ An' dyit thi grund wi theire bleid.
+
+ Then fause Murry feingit to flee them,
+ An' they pursuit at his backe,
+ Whan thi haf o' thi Gordones desertit, 35
+ An' turnit wi' Murray in a crack.
+
+ Wi hether i' thir bonnits they turnit,
+ The traiter Haddo o' their heid,
+ An' slaid theire brithers an' their fatheris,
+ An' spoilit an' left them for deid. 40
+
+ Then Murry cried to tak thi auld Gordone,
+ An' mony ane ran wi' speid;
+ But Stuart o' Inchbraik had him stickit,
+ An' out gushit thi fat lurdane's bleid.
+
+ Then they teuke his twa sones quick an' hale, 45
+ An' bare them awa' to Aberdene;
+ But fair did our guide quine lament
+ Thi waeful chance that they were tane.
+
+ Erle Murry lost mony a gallant stout man;
+ Thi hopefu' laird o' Thornitune, 50
+ Pittera's sons, an Egli's far fearit laird,
+ An mair to mi unkend, fell doune.
+
+ Erle Huntly mist ten score o' his bra' men,
+ Sum o' heigh an' sum o' leigh degree;
+ Skeenis youngest son, thi pryde o' a' the clan,
+ Was ther fun' dead, he widna flee. 55
+
+ This bloody fecht wis fercely faucht
+ Octobri's aught an' twinty day,
+ Crystis' fyfteen hundred thriscore yeir
+ An' twa will merk thi deidlie fray. 60
+
+ But now the day maist waefu' came,
+ That day the quine did grite her fill,
+ For Huntly's gallant stalwart son,
+ Wis heidit on thi heidin hill.
+
+ Fyve noble Gordones wi' him hangit were 65
+ Upon thi samen fatal playne;
+ Crule Murry gar't thi waefu' quine luke out,
+ And see hir lover an' liges slayne.
+
+ I wis our quine had better frinds,
+ I wis our country better peice; 70
+ I wis our lords wid na' discord,
+ I wis our weirs at hame may ceise.
+
+5. This.
+
+
+
+
+THE BATTLE OF BALRINNES,
+
+(OTHERWISE CALLED THE BATTLE OF GLENLIVET.)
+
+
+When Philip the Second was preparing his Armada for the conquest of
+England, he spared no pains to induce James of Scotland to favor his
+enterprise. Elizabeth, on her part, was not less active to secure the
+friendship of a neighbor, who, by opening or closing his ports, might
+do so much to assist or to counteract the projects of her enemy. James
+had the wisdom to see that it was not for his interest to ally
+himself with a power that sought the extinction of the faith which he
+professed, and the subjugation of a kingdom to which he was the heir.
+The Spanish overtures were rejected, and the great body of the people,
+warmly applauding the king's decision, entered into a combination to
+resist an attempt to land at any point on the Scottish coast. There
+was, nevertheless, a small party in Scotland which favoured the
+designs of Philip. At the head of this faction were the Catholic Earls
+of Huntly, Errol, and Angus. Even after the dispersion of the Armada,
+they kept up negotiations with the Prince of Parma and the King of
+Spain, in the hope of restoring the ancient religion, or at least of
+obtaining for themselves an equality of privileges with the
+Protestants. More than once were the leaders of this party committed
+to prison for overt acts of treason, and released by the clemency of
+the sovereign, but suffering as the Romanists did under the oppression
+of a fanatical majority, rebellion was their natural condition.
+
+After various acts of insubordination, continued for a series of
+years, it was proved beyond question that the Catholic earls had
+signed papers for an invasion of Britain by 30,000 foreigners. A
+Convention of Estates, summoned to consider the affair, finally
+determined that the three earls should be exempt from further inquiry
+on account of this conspiracy, but that before the first day of
+February, 1594, they should either renounce the errors of Popery, or
+remove from the kingdom. The Catholic leaders, relying on the number
+of their supporters, and not less on the inaccessible nature of the
+country in which their estates lay, scornfully rejected the choice
+proposed to them, renewed their connections with Spain, and were
+accordingly declared guilty of high treason and subjected to the doom
+of forfeiture.
+
+King James's exchequer was at this time so low that it was impossible
+for him to undertake the enforcing of this sentence in person. He was
+obliged to delegate the office to the young Earl of Argyle, who was
+induced to accept the appointment by the promise of a portion of
+Huntly's forfeited estates. The prospect of booty and the authority of
+the chief of the Campbells drew together six or seven thousand
+Highlanders, to whom were joined some hundreds of men from the Western
+Islands, under the chief of Maclean. With this body, one fourth of
+whom carried firelocks, while the rest were armed after the Gaelic
+fashion, Argyle descended from the hills towards Huntly's castle of
+Strathbogie.
+
+The chief of the Gordons, suddenly assailed, had no time to procure
+assistance from Angus. He collected about a thousand gentlemen of his
+own name, and Errol came to his aid with two or three hundred of the
+Hays. All these were men of birth, well armed and mounted, and to this
+small, but powerful, troop of cavalry, was added a train of six field
+pieces (engines very terrible to Highlanders), under the management of
+an excellent soldier, the very same Captain Ker, who has figured
+already in the ballad of _Edom o' Gordon_.
+
+The armies encountered at a place called Belrinnes in a district
+called Glenlivet. The Highlanders were posted on a mountain-side, so
+steep that footmen could barely keep their hold. Notwithstanding this
+obstacle, the Earls determined to attempt the ascent, and Errol,
+supported by Sir Patrick Gordon, led the Hays up the hill in the very
+face of the foe. While the vanguard was advancing, Ker brought some of
+his artillery to bear on Argyle's front, which threw the Highlanders
+into confusion, and caused some of them to fly. Errol's horsemen,
+however, were soon forced by the steepness of the mountain to wheel
+and move obliquely, and their flank being thus exposed, their horses
+suffered considerable damage from a volley of bullets and arrows. Upon
+this Huntly made a fierce attack upon Argyle's centre, and bore down
+his banner, and his cavalry soon after attaining to more even ground,
+where their horses could operate with efficiency, the Highlanders, who
+were destitute of lances, and so unable to withstand the shock, were
+driven down the other side of the hill, and put to utter rout. The
+chief of Maclean alone withstood the assault of the horsemen, and
+performed marvellous feats of bravery, but was at last forced off the
+field by his own soldiers, and Argyle himself was compelled to fly,
+weeping with anger. Of the Catholics, Sir Patrick Gordon, Huntley's
+uncle, was slain, with only twelve others. The loss of the other party
+was several hundred soldiers, besides some men of note, among them
+Campbell of Lochinzell.
+
+This battle was fought on the third of October, 1594. The action is
+called the Battle of Glenlivet, or of Balrinnes, and also of
+Strath-aven.--See the 38th chapter of Sir W. Scott's _History of
+Scotland_, and the contemporary narrative in Dalzell's _Scotish Poems
+of the Sixteenth Century_, i. 136.
+
+The ballad which follows is taken from the publication of Dalzell
+just mentioned, vol. ii. p. 347. There is a copy in the Pepys
+Collection, and another in the Advocates' Library, printed at
+Edinburgh in 1681. The ballad is also printed, undoubtedly from a
+stall copy, in _Scarce Ancient Ballads_, p. 29. The first four stanzas
+had previously been given in Jamieson's _Popular Ballads_, ii. 144.
+The older version of Dalzell is somewhat defective, and abounds in
+errors, which, as well as the vitiated orthography, are attributed to
+the ignorance of an English transcriber. The omissions are here
+supplied in the margin from the other copies.
+
+
+ Betuixt Dunother and Aberdein,
+ I rais and tuik the way,
+ Beleiuing weill it had not beine
+ Nought halff ane hour to day.
+ The lift was clad with cloudis gray, 5
+ And owermaskit was the moone,
+ Quhilk me deceaued whair I lay,
+ And maid me ryss ouer soone.
+
+ On Towie Mounth I mett a man,
+ Weill grathed in his gear: 10
+ Quoth I, "Quhat neues?" then he begane
+ To tell a fitt of warre.
+ Quoth he, "Of lait I heir,[L13]
+ Ane bloodie broust there was brouine,
+ Zesterday, withouten moir, 15
+ Upone ane hill at Strathdoune."
+
+ * * * * *
+
+ Then I, as any man wold be, 25
+ Desyrous for to know
+ Mair of that taill he told to me,
+ The quhilk he said he sawe--
+ Be then the day began to daw,
+ And back with him I red; 30
+ Then he began the soothe to schaw,
+ And on this wayis he said.
+
+ Macallenmore cam from the wast
+ With many a bow and brand;
+ To wast the Rinnes he thought best, 35
+ The Earll of Huntlies land.[L36]
+ He swore that none should him gainestand,
+ Except that he war fay;
+ Bot all sould be at his comand
+ That dwelt be northen Tay. 40
+
+ Then Huntlie, for to prevent that perrill,
+ Directit hastilie
+ Unto the noble Erll of Erroll,
+ Besought him for supplie.
+ Quha said, "It is my deutie 45
+ For to giue Huntlie support;
+ For if he lossis Strabolgie,
+ My Slaines will be ill hurt.
+
+ "Thairfoir I hald the subject vaine,
+ Wold rave us of our right; 50
+ First sall one of us be slaine,
+ The uther tak the flight.
+ Suppose Argyll be muche of might,
+ Be force of Heigheland men;
+ We's be a motte into his sight, 55
+ Or he pas hame againe.
+
+ "Be blaithe, my mirrie men, be blaithe,
+ Argyll sall have the worse,
+ Give he into this countrie kaithe,
+ I houpe in God[i]s cross." 60
+ Then leap this lord upon his horss,
+ Ane warrlyk troupe at Torray;
+ To meit with Huntlie and his force,
+ They ryde to Elgine of Murray.
+
+ The samen night thir lordis meit; 65
+ For utheris, who thought long,
+ (To tell zow all, I haue forgot)
+ The mirthe was them amonge.
+ Then playeris played, and songsters song,
+ To gled the mirrie host, 70
+ Quho feared not thair foes strong,
+ Nor zet Argylles boste.
+
+ They for two dayes wold not remove,
+ Bot blaithlie dranck the wyne,
+ Some to his lass, some to his loue, 75
+ Some to his ladeis fyne.
+ And he that thought not for to blyne,
+ His mistres tockin tackes;
+ They kist it first, and set it syne
+ Upone thair helmes and jackes. 80
+
+ They past thair tyme right wantonly,
+ Quhill word cam at ye last,
+ Argyll, with ane great armie,
+ Approached wondrous fast.
+ Then [out] of the toune thir barrones past, 85
+ And Huntlie to them said,
+ "Good gentillmen, we will us cast
+ To Strathbolgie but bed."[L88]
+
+ Quhen they unto Strathbolgie came,[L89]
+ To that castell but dreid, 90
+ Then to forsee how thingis might frame,[L91]
+ For they had meikle neid,
+ They woned them unto the dead,
+ As kirkmen could devys;
+ Syne prayed to God that they might speed 95
+ Off thair guid enterpryse.
+
+ Then evirie man himself did arme,
+ To meit Mackallanmorne,
+ Unto Strathdoune quho did great harme
+ The Wednesday beforne. 100
+ As lyounes does poore lambes devoure,
+ With bloodie teethe and naillis,
+ They burnt the biggingis, tuik the store,
+ Syne slewe the peopillis sellis.
+
+ Besyd all this hie crueltie, 105
+ He said, ere he should ceass,
+ The standing stonnes of Strathbolgie
+ Schould be his palione place.
+ Bot Huntlie said, "With Godis grace,
+ First we sall fight them ones; 110
+ Perchance that they may tak the chess,
+ Ere they come to the stonnes."
+
+ Thir lordis keipt on at afternoone,
+ With all thair warrmen wight;
+ Then sped up to Cabrach sone, 115
+ Whair they bed all that night.
+ Upone the morne, quhen day was light,
+ They rose and maid them boune
+ Intill ane castell that stood on hight,
+ They call it Auchindoune. 120
+
+ Besyd that castell, on a croft,
+ They stended pallionis ther;
+ Then spak a man that had bein oft
+ In jeopardie of warr:
+ "My lord, zour foes they ar to fear, 125
+ Thoughe we war neuir so stoute;
+ Thairfoir comand some man of warre
+ To watche the rest about."
+
+ Be this was done, some gentillmen
+ Of noble kin and blood, 130
+ To counsell with thir lordis begane,
+ Of matteris to concluide:
+ For weill aneughe they understood
+ The matter was of weght,
+ They had so manie men of good 135
+ In battell for to fight.
+
+ The firstin man in counsall spak,
+ Good Errol it was he;
+ Who sayis, "I will the vaneguard tack
+ And leiding upone me. 140
+ My Lord Huntlie, come succour me,
+ When ze sie me opprest;
+ For fra the feild I will not flie
+ So long as I may last."
+
+ Thair at some Gordones waxed wraithe, 145
+ And said he did them wrong;
+ To lat this lord then they warre leath
+ First to [the] battell gange.
+ The meiting that was them amonge,[L149]
+ Was no man that it hard, 150
+ Bot Huntlie, with ane troupe full stronge,
+ Bed into the reir guarde.
+
+ Thir wer the number of thair force
+ Thir lordis to battell led:
+ Ane thousand gentillmen on horss, 155
+ And some fotemen they had;
+ Thrie hundreth that schot arrowes bred,
+ Four scorr that hagbutis bore:
+ Thir war the number that they had
+ Of footmen with them suire. 160
+
+ This worthy chevalrie[L161]
+ All merchand to the field;
+ Argyll, with ane great armie,
+ Upone ane hill had tane beild,
+ Aboyding them [with] speare and scheild,[L165] 165
+ With bullettis, dartis, and bowes;
+ The men could weill thair wapones weild;[L167]
+ To meit them was no mowes.
+
+ When they so near uther war come,
+ That ilk man saw his foe, 170
+ "Goe to, and assay the gaime," said some;
+ Bot Capitane Ker said, "No:
+ First lat the gunes befoir us goe,
+ That they may break the order":
+ Quoth both the lordis, "Lat it be so, 175
+ Or euer we goe forder."
+
+ Then Androw Gray, upone ane horss,
+ Betuixt the battillis red;
+ Makand the signe of holy cross,
+ _In manus tuas_ he said.[L180] 180
+ He lighted thair [the] gunes to led,
+ Quhill they cam to the rest;
+ Then Capitane Ker unto him sped,
+ And bad him shuit in haist.
+
+ "I will not [shuit]," quothe Androw Gray, 185
+ "Quhill they cum over zonder hill;
+ We have an ower guid caus this dey,[L187]
+ Through misgydins to spill.
+ Goe back, and bid our men byd still,
+ Quhill they cum to the plaine; 190
+ Then sall my shuitting doe them ill,
+ I will not shuit in vaine."
+
+ "Shuit up, shuit up," quothe Capitane Ker,
+ "Shuit up, to our comfort!"
+ The firsten shot [it] was to neir, 195
+ It lighted all to schort.
+ The nixtin shot thair foes hurt,
+ It lighted wounderous weill:
+ Quoth Androw Gray, "I sie ane sport,
+ Quhen they began to reill. 200
+
+ "Goe toe, good mattes, and say the game,
+ Zonder folkis ar in a fray;
+ Lat sie how we can well with them,
+ Into thair disaray.
+ Goe, goe, it is not tyme to stay, 205
+ All for my bennisoune;
+ Saue non this day ze may gar dye,
+ Quhill ze the feild haue wonne."[L209]
+
+ Then Errol haisted to the hight,
+ Whair he did battell byd;
+ With him went Auchindoune and Gight,[L219]
+ And Bonnitoune by his syd: 220
+ Whair manie gentillman did with him byd,
+ Whos prais sould not be smored;
+ Bot Capitane Ker, that was thair gyde,
+ Red ay befoir my lord.
+
+ They war not manie men of werre, 225
+ Bot they war wonder trewe;
+ With hagbutis, pistolet, bowe, and speare,
+ They did thair foes persewe,
+ Quhair bullettis, dartis, and arrowes flew,
+ Als thick as haill or raine, 230
+ Quhilk manie hurt, and some they slew,
+ Of horss and gentillmen.
+
+ Huntlie maid haist to succour him,
+ And charged furiouslie,
+ Quhair manie menis sight grew dim, 235
+ The shottis so thick did flie;
+ Quhilk gart right manie doghtie die,
+ Of some on euerie syd;
+ Argyll with his tald hoste did flie,
+ Bot Macklenne did abyd. 240
+
+ Macklene had one ane habershoune,
+ Ilk lord had one ane jack;
+ Togidder feirc[e]lie are they rune,
+ With manie a gunes crack.
+ The splenderis of thair spearis they break, 245
+ Flewe up into the air,
+ Quhilk boore doune maney on thair back,
+ Againe ros neuer mair.[L249]
+
+ "Alace, I sie ane soré sight," 265
+ Said the Laird of Macklenne;
+ "Our feible folkis is tenne the flight,
+ And left me myne allaine.
+ Now must I flie, or els be slaine,
+ Since they will not returne;" 270
+ With that he ran ouer ane dyne,
+ Endlongis ane lytill burne.
+
+ Then after great Argylles hoste
+ Some horssmen tuik the chess,
+ Quha turned their backes for all thair bost, 275
+ Contrair the fooles say[s].
+ They cried "oh," with manie "alace,"
+ Bot neuir for mercie sought;
+ Thairfoir the Gordones gaue no grace,
+ Becaus they craved it nought. 280
+
+ Then some guidman perseiued sharpe,[L281]
+ With Erroll and Huntlie,
+ And thai with [a] capitane did carpe,
+ Quhais name was Ogilvie.
+ He sayis, "Gentillmen, lat see 285
+ Who maniest slaine slaydis;[L286]
+ Save non this day ze may gar die,
+ For pleadis, nor ransome paynes."[L288]
+
+ Lyk hartes, up howes and hillis thei ranne,
+ Quhair horsmen might not winn: 290
+ "Reteir againe," quoth Huntlie then,
+ "Quhair we did first begin.
+ Heir lyes manie carved skinnes,
+ With manie ane bloodie beard,
+ For anie helpe, with litell dinne, 295
+ Sall rotte aboue the eard."
+
+ When they cam to the hill againe,
+ The sett doune one thair knees,
+ Syne thanked God that they had slaine
+ Soe manie enimies. 300
+ They ros befor Argylles eyis,
+ Maid Capitane Ker ane knight;
+ Syne bed among the dead bodies,
+ Whill they war out of sight.
+
+ [L305-12]
+
+ [L313-20]
+
+ This deid so doughtilie was done,
+ As I hard trewe men tell,
+ Upone ane Thursday afternoone,
+ St. Franecis ewill befell.[L324]
+
+ Guid Auchindoune was slaine himself, 325
+ With uther seven in battéll;
+ So was the Laird of Lochinzell,
+ Grate pitie was to tell.
+
+13-24.
+
+ Saying, "The ministers, I fear,
+ A bloody browst have brown,
+ For yesterday, withouthen mair, 15
+ On the hill at Stradown,
+ I saw three lords in battle fight
+ Right furiously awhile,
+ Huntlie and Errol, as they hight,
+ Were both against Argyle. 20
+ Turn back with me and ride a mile,
+ And I shall make it kend,
+ How they began, the form and stile,
+ And of the battles end."
+
+ JAMIESON.
+
+36. landis.
+
+88. beed.
+
+91. fraine.
+
+89-96. This stanza is unintelligible in Dalzell. It stands thus in
+Laing's copy.
+
+ When they unto Strathboggy came,
+ To council soon they geed,
+ For to see how things might frame,
+ For they had meikle need.
+ They voted then to do a deed
+ As kirkmen do devise,
+ And pray'd that they might find good speed
+ In that great interprise.
+
+149. This line seems to be corrupted.
+
+161. Some words are lost.
+
+ Thus with their noble cavalry
+ They marched to the field.
+
+ LAING.
+
+165. speares and scheildis.
+
+167. weild thair wapones weill.
+
+180. mannis.
+
+187. then ower.
+
+209-216.
+
+ Then awful Erroll he can say
+ "Good fellows, follow me: 210
+ I hope it shall be ours this day,
+ Or else therefore to die.
+ Tho they in number many be,[L213]
+ Set on, withoutten words;
+ Let ilk brave fellow brake his tree, 215
+ And then pursue with swords."
+
+213. many were.
+
+219. within went.
+
+249-56.
+
+ Then some men said, "We will be sure
+ And take Maclean by course; 250
+ Go to, for we are men anew
+ To bear him down by force."
+ But noble Errol had remorse,
+ And said, "It is not best,
+ For tho Argyle has got the worst, 255
+ Let him gang with the rest.
+
+257-64.
+
+ "What greater honour could ye wish
+ In deeds of chivalry,
+ Or brave victory than this,
+ Where one has chac'd thrice three? 260
+ Therefore, good fellows, let him be;
+ He'll die before he yield;
+ For he with his small company
+ Bade langest in the field."
+
+281. perceiued.
+
+286, 288. corrupted.
+
+305-12.
+
+ Now I have you already tauld, 305
+ Huntly and Errol's men
+ Could scarce be thirteen hundred called,
+ The truth if ye would ken.[L308]
+ And yet Argyle his thousands ten[L309]
+ Were they that took the race, 310
+ And tho that they were nine to ane,
+ They caused [them] take the chace.
+
+308. he.
+
+309. has.
+
+313-20.
+
+ Sae Argyle's boast it was in vain,
+ (He thought sure not to tyne)
+ That if he durst cum to the plain, 315
+ He would gar every nine
+ Of his lay hold upon ilk man
+ Huntly and Errol had:
+ But yet for all his odds he ran[L319]
+ To tell how ill he sped. 320
+
+319. fled.
+
+324. should be _eve_, or _vigil_.
+
+
+
+
+BONNY JOHN SETON.
+
+
+This ballad is taken from Maidment's _North Countrie Garland_, p. 15.
+There is another version in Buchan's _Ballads of the North of
+Scotland_, ii. 136 (_The Death of John Seton_).
+
+John Seton of Pitmedden, a young and brave cavalier, was shot through
+the middle by a cannon ball, during the skirmish at the Bridge of Dee,
+while engaged, under the Viscount of Aboyne, in resisting the advance
+of Montrose upon the town of Aberdeen, in June, 1639. It was the hard
+fate of Aberdeen to suffer from the arms of Montrose, first, when he
+was general of the Covenanters, and again while he was lieutenant for
+the King. The murder and pillage perpetrated in the town by the Irish
+after the defeat of Lord Burleigh, in 1644, have been made the subject
+of violent reproach by his enemies, but it may perhaps be said, that
+for all that exceeded the usual horrors of war, the heroic commander
+was not responsible. In Buchan's version of the present ballad, the
+clemency shown by Montrose on taking possession of the city in 1639 is
+commemorated in three stanzas worthy of preservation. The Covenanters
+were "resolved to have sacked it orderly."
+
+ Out it speeks the gallant Montrose,
+ (Grace on his fair body!)
+ "We winna burn the bonny burgh,
+ We'll even lat it be."
+
+ Then out it speaks the gallant Montrose,
+ "Your purpose I will break;
+ We winna burn the bonny burgh,
+ We'll never build its make.
+
+ "I see the women and their children
+ Climbing the craigs sae hie;
+ We'll sleep this night in the bonny burgh,
+ And even lat it be."
+
+ * * * * *
+
+ Upon the eighteenth day of June,
+ A dreary day to see,
+ The Southern lords did pitch their camp
+ Just at the bridge of Dee.
+ Bonny John Seton of Pitmeddin, 5
+ A bold baron was he,
+ He made his testament ere he went out,
+ The wiser man was he.
+
+ He left his land to his young son,
+ His lady her dowry, 10
+ A thousand crowns to his daughter Jean,
+ Yet on the nurse's knee.
+
+ Then out came his lady fair,
+ A tear into her e'e;
+ Says "Stay at home, my own good lord, 15
+ O stay at home with me!"
+
+ He looked over his left shoulder,
+ Cried, "Souldiers, follow me!"
+ O then she looked in his face,
+ An angry woman was she: 20
+ "God send me back my steed again,
+ But ne'er let me see thee!"
+
+ His name was Major Middleton
+ That manned the bridge of Dee;
+ His name was Colonel Henderson 25
+ That let the cannons flee.
+
+ His name was Major Middleton
+ That manned the bridge of Dee;
+ And his name was Colonel Henderson
+ That dung Pitmeddin in three. 30
+
+ Some rode on the black and gray,
+ And some rode on the brown,
+ But the bonny John Seton
+ Lay gasping on the ground.
+
+ Then bye there comes a false Forbes, 35
+ Was riding from Driminere;
+ Says "Here there lies a proud Seton,
+ This day they ride the rear."
+
+ Cragievar said to his men,[L39]
+ "You may play on your shield; 40
+ For the proudest Seton in all the lan'
+ This day lies on the field."
+
+ "O spoil him, spoil him," cried Cragievar,
+ "Him spoiled let me see;
+ For on my word," said Cragievar, 45
+ "He had no good will at me."
+
+ They took from him his armour clear,
+ His sword, likewise his shield;
+ Yea they have left him naked there
+ Upon the open field. 50
+
+ The Highland men, they're clever men
+ At handling sword and shield,
+ But yet they are too naked men
+ To stay in battle field.
+
+ The Highland men are clever men[L55] 55
+ At handling sword or gun,
+ But yet they are too naked men
+ To bear the cannon's rung.
+
+ For a cannon's roar in a summer night
+ Is like thunder in the air; 60
+ There's not a man in Highland dress
+ Can face the cannon's fire.
+
+39. Sir William Forbes of Cragievar.
+
+55-62. The Highlanders were thrown into great consternation by cannon
+shot, to which they were not accustomed. At the Raid of Stonehaven, just
+previous to the affair of the Bridge of Dee, the first volley made them
+wheel about and fly in disorder. They declared that they could not abide
+"the musket's mother."
+
+
+
+
+THE HAWS OF CROMDALE.
+
+Ritson's _Scottish Songs_, ii. 40. Johnson's _Museum_, p. 502.
+
+
+This ballad, very popular in Scotland, was long sold on the stalls
+before it was received into the collections. A glance will show that
+it has at best been very imperfectly transmitted by oral tradition. In
+fact, the Ettrick Shepherd seems to be right in maintaining that two
+widely separated events are here jumbled together. The first five
+stanzas apparently refer to an action in May, 1690, when Sir Thomas
+Livingston surprised fifteen hundred Highlanders in their beds at
+Cromdale, and the remainder to the lost battle of Auldern, where
+Montrose, with far inferior forces, defeated Sir John Hurry with
+prodigious slaughter, on the 4th of May, 1645. Mr. Stenhouse states,
+indeed, that after that imprudent division of the army of the Covenant
+which opened the way to the disaster at Auldern, Hurry surprised and
+routed at Cromdale a body of Highlanders under the lion-hearted
+Allaster Macdonald. But this check appears, by his own language, to
+have been too slight an affair to call forth such verses as those with
+which the ballad begins. See Hogg's _Jacobite Relics_, ii. 157,
+Johnson's _Museum_ (1853), iv. 428.
+
+ As I came in by Achendown,
+ A little wee bit frae the town,
+ When to the highlands I was bown,
+ To view the haws of Cromdale,
+
+ I met a man in tartan trews, 5
+ I spier'd at him what was the news:
+ Quoth he, "The highland army rues
+ That e'er we came to Cromdale."
+
+ "We were in bed, sir, every man,
+ When the English host upon us came; 10
+ A bloody battle then began
+ Upon the haws of Cromdale.
+
+ "The English horse they were so rude,
+ They bath'd their hoofs in highland blood,
+ But our brave clans they boldly stood, 15
+ Upon the haws of Cromdale.
+
+ "But alas! we could no longer stay,
+ For o'er the hills we came away,
+ And sore we do lament the day
+ That e'er we came to Cromdale." 20
+
+ * * * * *
+
+ Thus the great Montrose did say,
+ "Can you direct the nearest way?
+ For I will o'er the hills this day,
+ And view the haws of Cromdale."
+
+ "Alas, my lord, you're not so strong; 25
+ You scarcely have two thousand men,
+ And there's twenty thousand on the plain,
+ Stand rank and file on Cromdale."
+
+ Thus the great Montrose did say,
+ "I say, direct the nearest way, 30
+ For I will o'er the hills this day,
+ And see the haws of Cromdale."
+
+ They were at dinner, every man,
+ When great Montrose upon them came;
+ A second battle then began 35
+ Upon the haws of Cromdale.
+
+ The Grants, Mackenzies, and M'Kys,
+ Soon as Montrose they did espy,
+ O then they fought most vehemently,
+ Upon the haws of Cromdale. 40
+
+ The M'Donalds, they return'd again,
+ The Camerons did their standard join,
+ M'Intosh play'd a bonny game,
+ Upon the haws of Cromdale.
+
+ The M'Gregors fought like lyons bold, 45
+ M'Phersons, none could them controul,
+ M'Lauchlins fought like loyal souls,
+ Upon the haws of Cromdale.
+
+ [M'Leans, M'Dougals, and M'Neals,
+ So boldly as they took the field, 50
+ And made their enemies to yield,
+ Upon the haws of Cromdale.]
+
+ The Gordons boldly did advance,
+ The Fraziers [fought] with sword and lance,
+ The Grahams they made their heads to dance, 55
+ Upon the haws of Cromdale.
+
+ The loyal Stewarts, with Montrose,
+ So boldly set upon their foes,
+ And brought them down with highland blows,
+ Upon the haws of Cromdale 60
+
+ Of twenty thousand Cromwells men
+ Five hundred went to Aberdeen,
+ The rest of them lyes on the plain,
+ Upon the haws of Cromdale.
+
+
+
+
+THE BATTLE OF ALFORD.
+
+
+Two months after the defeat of Sir John Hurry at Auldern, Montrose
+utterly destroyed the other division of the covenanting army, under
+General Baillie, at Alford on the Don. On the 2d of July, the King's
+forces marched from Drumminor, and crossed the Don to Alford, Montrose
+and the Earl of Aboyne taking up their quarters in the castle of
+Asloun. Baillie, who was now in pursuit of the royalists, moved
+southward, and encamped on the day just mentioned, at Lesly. The next
+morning he crossed the river (halting on the way near a farm called
+Mill Hill), whereupon the battle took place. Montrose dearly purchased
+this new victory by the loss of Lord George Gordon, who commanded the
+_right_ wing, not the left.
+
+These fragmentary verses are from _The Thistle of Scotland_, p. 68.
+
+ The Graham[s and] Gordons of Aboyne
+ Camp'd at Drumminor bog;
+ At the castle there they lay all night,
+ And left them scarce a hog.
+
+ The black Baillie, that auld dog, 5
+ Appeared on our right;
+ We quickly raise up frae the bog,
+ To Alford march'd that night.
+
+ We lay at Lesly all night,
+ They camped at Asloun; 10
+ And up we raise afore daylight,
+ To ding the beggars doun.
+
+ Before we was in battle rank,
+ We was anent Mill Hill;
+ I wat full weel they gar'd us rue,[L15] 15
+ We gat fighting our fill.
+
+ They hunted us and dunted us,
+ They drave us here and there,
+ Untill three hundred of our men
+ Lay gasping in their lair. 20
+
+ The Earl of Mar the right wing guided,
+ The colours stood him by;
+ Lord George Gordon the left wing guided,
+ Who well the sword could ply.
+
+ There came a ball shot frae the west 25
+ That shot him through the back;
+ Although he was our enemy,
+ We grieved for his wreck.
+
+ We cannot say 'twas his own men,
+ But yet it came that way; 30
+ In Scotland there was not a match
+ To that man where he lay.
+
+15. fell.
+
+
+
+
+THE BATTLE OF PENTLAND HILLS.
+
+_Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border_, ii. 203
+
+
+"The insurrection commemorated and magnified in the following ballad,
+as indeed it has been in some histories, was, in itself, no very
+important affair. It began in Dumfries-shire, where Sir James Turner,
+a soldier of fortune, was employed to levy the arbitrary fines imposed
+for not attending the Episcopal churches. The people rose, seized his
+person, disarmed his soldiers, and, having continued together,
+resolved to march towards Edinburgh, expecting to be joined by their
+friends in that quarter. In this they were disappointed; and, being
+now diminished to half their numbers, they drew up on the Pentland
+Hills, at a place called Rullien Green. They were commanded by one
+Wallace; and here they awaited the approach of General Dalziel, of
+Binns; who, having marched to Calder, to meet them on the Lanark road,
+and finding, that, by passing through Collington, they had got to the
+other side of the hills, cut through the mountains and approached
+them. Wallace showed both spirit and judgment: he drew up his men in a
+very strong situation, and withstood two charges of Dalziel's cavalry;
+but, upon the third shock, the insurgents were broken and utterly
+dispersed. There was very little slaughter, as the cavalry of Dalziel
+were chiefly gentlemen, who pitied their oppressed and misguided
+countrymen. There were about fifty killed, and as many made prisoners.
+The battle was fought on the 28th November, 1666; a day still
+observed by the scattered remnant of the Cameronian sect, who
+regularly hear a field-preaching upon the field of battle.
+
+"I am obliged for a copy of the ballad to Mr. Livingston of Airds, who
+took it down from the recitation of an old woman residing on his
+estate.
+
+"The gallant Grahams, mentioned in the text, are Graham of
+Claverhouse's horse." SCOTT.
+
+ The gallant Grahams cam from the west,
+ Wi' their horses black as ony craw;
+ The Lothian lads they marched fast,
+ To be at the Rhyns o' Gallowa.
+
+ Betwixt Dumfries town and Argyle, 5
+ The lads they marched mony a mile;
+ Souters and tailors unto them drew,
+ Their covenants for to renew.
+
+ The Whigs, they, wi' their merry cracks,
+ Gar'd the poor pedlars lay down their packs; 10
+ But aye sinsyne they do repent
+ The renewing o' their Covenant.
+
+ At the Mauchline muir, where they were review'd,
+ Ten thousand men in armour show'd;
+ But, ere they came to the Brockie's burn, 15
+ The half of them did back return.
+
+ General Dalyell, as I hear tell,
+ Was our lieutenant-general;
+ And Captain Welsh, wi' his wit and skill,
+ Was to guide them on to the Pentland hill. 20
+
+ General Dalyell held to the hill,
+ Asking at them what was their will;
+ And who gave them this protestation,
+ To rise in arms against the nation?
+
+ "Although we all in armour be, 25
+ It's not against his majesty;
+ Nor yet to spill our neighbour's bluid,
+ But wi' the country we'll conclude."
+
+ "Lay down your arms, in the King's name,
+ And ye shall a' gae safely hame;" 30
+ But they a' cried out wi' ae consent,
+ "We'll fight for a broken Covenant."
+
+ "O well," says he, "since it is so,
+ A wilfu' man never wanted woe:"
+ He then gave a sign unto his lads, 35
+ And they drew up in their brigades.
+
+ The trumpets blew, and the colours flew,
+ And every man to his armour drew;
+ The Whigs were never so much aghast,
+ As to see their saddles toom sae fast. 40
+
+ The cleverest men stood in the van,
+ The Whigs they took their heels and ran;
+ But such a raking was never seen,
+ As the raking o' the Rullien Green.
+
+
+
+
+THE READING SKIRMISH.
+
+
+Several companies, principally Irish, belonging to the army of King
+James, and stationed at Reading, had quitted the town in consequence
+of a report that the Prince of Orange was advancing in that direction
+with the main body of his forces. On the departure of the garrison,
+the people of Reading at once invited the Prince to take possession of
+the place, and secure them against the Irish. But the King's troops,
+having learned that it was only a small detachment of William's
+soldiers, and not the main army, by whom they were threatened,
+returned and reoccupied their post. Here they were attacked by two
+hundred and fifty of the Dutch, and though numbering six hundred, were
+soon put to flight, with the loss of their colors and of fifty men,
+the assailants losing but five. This skirmish occurred on Sunday, the
+9th of December, 1688.
+
+This piece is extracted from Croker's _Historical Songs of Ireland_,
+p. 14, Percy Society, vol. i., and was there given from a collection
+of printed ballads in the British Museum. The burden seems to be
+derived from the following stanza of _Lilli burlero_:
+
+ "Now, now de heretics all go down,
+ _Lilli, &c._
+ By Chreist and St. Patrick de nation's our own,
+ _Lilli, &c._
+
+
+
+
+THE READING SKIRMISH;
+
+OR, THE BLOODY IRISH ROUTED BY THE VICTORIOUS DUTCH.
+
+
+ Five hundred papishes came there,
+ To make a final end
+ Of all the town, in time of prayer,
+ But God did them defend.
+
+To the tune of _Lilli borlero_. Licensed according to order. Printed
+for J. D. in the year 1688.
+
+
+ We came into brave Reading by night,
+ Five hundred horsemen proper and tall;
+ Yet not resolved fairly to fight,
+ But for to cut the throats of them all.
+ Most of us was Irish Papists, 5
+ Who vowed to kill, then plunder the town;
+ We this never doubted, but soon we were routed,
+ By Chreest and St. Patrick, we all go down.
+
+ In Reading town we ne'er went to bed;
+ Every soul there mounted his horse, 10
+ Hoping next day to fill them with dread;
+ Yet I swear by St. Patrick's cross,
+ We most shamefully was routed:
+ Fortune was pleased to give us a frown,
+ And blasted our glory: I'll tell you the story, 15
+ By Chreest and St. Patrick we all go down.
+
+ We thought to slay them all in their sleep,
+ But by my shoul, were never the near,
+ The hereticks their guard did so keep,
+ Which put us in a trembling fear. 20
+ We concluded something further,
+ To seize the churches all in the town,
+ With killing and slaying, while they were a praying,
+ But we were routed, and soon run down.
+
+ Nay, before noon, we vowed to despatch 25
+ Every man, nay, woman and child;
+ This in our hearts we freely did hatch,
+ Vowing to make a prey of the spoil.
+ But we straightways was prevented,
+ When we did hope for fame and renown; 30
+ In less than an hour we [are] forcéd to scoure;
+ By Chreest and St. Patrick, we are run down.
+
+ We were resolved Reading to clear,
+ Having in hand the flourishing sword;
+ The bloody sceen was soon to appear, 35
+ For we did then but wait for the word:
+ While the ministers were preaching,
+ We were resolved to have at their gown;
+ But straight was surrounded, and clearly confounded,
+ By Chreest and St. Patrick, we all go down. 40
+
+ Just as we all were fit to fall on,
+ In came the Dutch with fury and speed;
+ And amongst them there was not a man,
+ But what was rarely mounted indeed;
+ And rid up as fierce as tygers, 45
+ Knitting their brows, they on us did frown;
+ Not one of them idle, their teeth held their bridle,
+ By Chreest and St. Patrick, we were run down.
+
+ They never stood to use many words,
+ But in all haste up to us they flocked, 50
+ In their right hands their flourishing swords,
+ And their left carbines ready cock'd.
+ We were forced to fly before them,
+ Thorow the lanes and streets of the town;
+ While they pursued after, and threaten'd a slaughter, 55
+ By Chreest and St. Patrick, we were run down.
+
+ Then being fairly put to the rout,
+ Hunted and drove before 'um like dogs,
+ Our captain bid us then face about,
+ But we wisht for our Irish bogs. 60
+ Having no great mind for fighting,
+ The Dutch did drive us thorow the town;
+ Our foreheads we crossed, yet still was unhorsed,
+ By Chreest and St. Patrick, we're all run down.
+
+ We threw away our swords and carbines, 65
+ Pistols and cloaks lay strow'd on the lands;
+ Cutting off boots for running, uds-doyns,
+ One pair of heels was worth two pair of hands.
+ Then we called on sweet St. Coleman,[L69]
+ Hoping he might our victory crown; 70
+ But Dutchmen pursuing poor Teagues to our ruin,
+ By Chreest and St. Patrick, we're all run down.
+
+ Never was Teagues in so much distress,
+ As the whole world may well understand;
+ When we came here, we thought to possess 75
+ Worthy estates of houses and land:
+ But we find 'tis all a story,
+ Fortune is pleased on us to frown:
+ Instead of our riches, we stink in our breeches,
+ By Chreest and St. Patrick, we're all run down. 80
+
+ They call a thing a three-legged mare,
+ Where they will fit each neck with a nooze,
+ Then with our beads to say our last prayer,
+ After all this to die in our shoes.
+ Thence we pack to purgatory; 85
+ For us let all the Jesuits pray;
+ Farewell, Father Peters, here's some of your creatures
+ Would have you to follow the self-same way.
+
+69, Edward Coleman, hanged at Tyburn in 1678, for his participation in
+the Popish Plot.--CROKER.
+
+
+
+
+UNDAUNTED LONDONDERRY.
+
+
+The story of the siege of Londonderry, "the most memorable in the
+annals of the British isles," is eloquently told in the twelfth
+chapter of Macaulay's _History of England_. It lasted one hundred and
+five days, from the middle of April to the first of August (1689).
+During that time the garrison had been reduced from about seven
+thousand men to about three thousand. Famine and pestilence slew more
+than the fire of the enemy. In the last month of the siege, there was
+scarcely any thing left to eat in the city but salted hides and
+tallow. The price of a dog's paw was five shillings and sixpence, and
+rats that had fed on the bodies of the dead were eagerly hunted and
+slain. The courage and self-devotion of the defenders, animated by a
+lofty public spirit and sustained by religious zeal, were at last
+rewarded by a glorious triumph, and will never cease to be celebrated
+with pride and enthusiasm by the Protestants of Ireland.
+
+The ballad is here given as printed in Croker's _Historical Songs of
+Ireland_, p. 46, from a black letter copy in the British Museum. The
+whole title runs thus: _Undaunted Londonderry; or, the Victorious
+Protestants' constant success against the proud French and Irish
+Forces_. _To the Tune of Lilli Borlero._
+
+ Protestant boys, both valliant and stout,
+ Fear not the strength and frown of Rome,
+ Thousands of them are put to the rout,
+ Brave Londonderry tells 'um their doom.
+ For their cannons roar like thunder, 5
+ Being resolved the town to maintain
+ For William and Mary, still brave Londonderry
+ Will give the proud French and Tories their bane.
+
+ Time after time, with powder and balls,
+ Protestant souls they did 'um salute, 10
+ That before Londonderry's stout walls
+ Many are slain and taken to boot.
+ Nay, their noble Duke of Berwick,[L13]
+ Many reports, is happily tane,
+ Where still they confine him, and will not resign him,
+ Till they have given the Tories their bane. 16
+
+ Into the town their bombs they did throw,
+ Being resolved to fire the same,
+ Hoping thereby to lay it all low,
+ Could they but raise it into a flame. 20
+ But the polititious Walker,[L21]
+ By an intreague did quail them again,
+ And blasted the glory of French, Teague, and Tory;
+ By policy, boys, he gave them their bane.
+
+ Thundering stones they laid on the wall, 25
+ Ready against the enemy came,
+ With which they vow'd the Tories to mawl,
+ Whene'er they dare approach but the same.
+ And another sweet invention,
+ The which in brief I reckon to name; 30
+ A sharp, bloody slaughter did soon follow after,
+ Among the proud French, and gave them their bane.
+
+ Stubble and straw in parcels they laid,
+ The which they straightways kindled with speed;
+ By this intreague the French was betrayed, 35
+ Thinking the town was fired indeed.
+ Then they placed their scaling ladders,
+ And o'er the walls did scour amain;
+ Yet strait, to their wonder, they were cut in sunder,
+ Thus Frenchmen and Tories met with their bane. 40
+
+ Suddenly then they opened their gate,
+ Sallying forth with vigor and might;
+ And, as the truth I here may relate,
+ Protestant boys did valliantly fight,
+ Taking many chief commanders, 45
+ While the sharp fray they thus did maintain,
+ With vigorous courses, they routed their forces,
+ And many poor Teagues did meet with their bane.
+
+ While with their blood the cause they have sealed,
+ Heaven upon their actions did frown; 50
+ Protestants took the spoil of the field,
+ Cannons full five they brought to the town.
+ With a lusty, large, great mortar,
+ Thus they returned with honor and gain,
+ While Papists did scour from Protestant power, 55
+ As fearing they all should suffer their bane.
+
+ In a short time we hope to arrive
+ With a vast army to Ireland,
+ And the affairs so well we'll contrive
+ That they shall ne'er have power to stand 60
+ Gainst King William and Queen Mary,
+ Who on the throne does flourish and reign;
+ We'll down with the faction that make the distraction,
+ And give the proud French and Tories their bane.
+
+13. In a sally which was made by the garrison towards the end of April,
+the Duke of Berwick is said to have received a slight wound in the back.
+
+21. The Rev. George Walker, rector of the parish of Donaghmore, the
+hero of the defence. His statue now stands on a lofty pillar, rising
+from a bastion which for a long time sustained the heaviest fire of the
+besiegers.
+
+
+
+
+PR[OE]LIUM GILLICRANKIANUM. See p. 152.
+
+From Johnson's _Museum_, p. 105.
+
+
+ Grahamius notabilis coegerat montanos,
+ Qui clypeis et gladiis fugarunt Anglicanos;
+ Fugerant Vallicolæ, atque Puritani,
+ Cacavere Batavi et Cameroniani.
+ Grahamius mirabilis, fortissimus Alcides,
+ Cujus regi fuerat intemerata fides,
+ Agiles monticolas marte inspiravit,
+ Et duplicatum numerum hostium profligavit.
+
+ Nobilis apparuit Fermilodunensis,
+ Cujus in rebelles stringebatur ensis;
+ Nobilis et sanguine, nobilior virtute,
+ Regi devotissimus intus et in cute.
+ Pitcurius heroicus, Hector Scoticanus,
+ Cui mens fidelis fuerat et invicta manus,
+ Capita rebellium, is excerebravit,
+ Hostes unitissimos ille dimicavit.
+
+ Glengarius magnanimus atque bellicosus,
+ Functus ut Eneas, pro rege animosus,
+ Fortis atque strenuus, hostes expugnavit,
+ Sanguine rebellium campos coloravit.
+ Surrexerat fideliter Donaldus Insulanus,
+ Pugnaverat viriliter, cum copiis Skyanis,
+ Pater atque filii non dissimularunt,
+ Sed pro rege proprio unanimes pugnarunt.
+
+ Macleanius, circumdatus tribo martiali,
+ Semper, devinctissimus familiæ regali,
+ Fortiter pugnaverat, more atavorum,
+ Deinde dissipaverat turmas Batavorum.
+ Strenuus Lochielius, multo Camerone,
+ Hostes ense peremit, et abrio pugione;
+ Istos et intrepidos Orco dedicavit,
+ Impedimenta hostium Blaro reportavit.
+
+ Macneillius de Bara, Glencous Kepochanus,
+ Ballechinus, cum fratre, Stuartus Apianus,
+ Pro Jacobo Septimo fortiter gessere,
+ Pugiles fortissimi, feliciter vicere.
+ Canonicus clarissimus Gallovidianus,
+ Acer et indomitus, consilioque sanus,
+ Ibi dux adfuerat, spectabilis persona,
+ Nam pro tuenda patria, hunc peperit Bellona.
+
+ Ducalidoni dominum spreverat gradivus,
+ Nobilis et juvenis, fortis et activus:
+ Nam cum nativum principem exulem audiret,
+ Redit ex Hungaria ut regi inserviret.
+ Illic et adfuerat tutor Ranaldorum,
+ Qui strenue pugnaverat cum copiis virorum;
+ Et ipse Capetaneus, aetate puerili,
+ Intentus est ad pr[oe]lium, spiritu virili.
+
+ Glenmoristonus junior, optimus bellator
+ Subito jam factus, hactenus venator,
+ Perduelles Whiggeos ut pecora prostravit,
+ Ense et fulmineo Mackaium fugavit.
+ Regibus et legibus, Scotici constantes,
+ Vos clypeis et gladiis pro principe pugnantes,
+ Vestra est victoria, vestra est et gloria,
+ In cantis et historia perpes est memoria!
+
+
+
+
+THE BOYNE WATER.
+
+
+This momentous battle was fought on the 1st of July, 1690. James had a
+strong position and thirty thousand men, two thirds of whom were a
+worthless rabble. William had thirty-six thousand splendid soldiers.
+The loss on neither side was great. Of James's troops there fell
+fifteen hundred, the flower of his army; of the conqueror's not more
+than five, but with them the great Duke of Schomberg. The present
+version of this ballad is from Croker's _Historical Songs of Ireland_,
+p. 60, given from a MS. copy in the editor's possession.
+
+
+ July the first, in Oldbridge town,[L1]
+ There was a grievous battle,
+ Where many a man lay on the ground,
+ By the cannons that did rattle,
+ King James he pitched his tents between 5
+ The lines for to retire;
+ But King William threw his bomb-balls in,
+ And set them all on fire.
+
+ Thereat enraged, they vow'd revenge,
+ Upon King William's forces; 10
+ And often did cry vehemently,
+ That they would stop their courses.
+ A bullet from the Irish came,
+ Which grazed King William's arm;
+ They thought his majesty was slain, 15
+ Yet it did him little harm.
+
+ Duke Schomberg then, in friendly care,
+ His king would often caution
+ To shun the spot where bullets hot
+ Retain'd their rapid motion. 20
+ But William said--"He don't deserve
+ The name of Faith's defender,
+ That would not venture life and limb
+ To make a foe surrender."
+
+ When we the Boyne began to cross, 25
+ The enemy they descended;
+ But few of our brave men were lost,
+ So stoutly we defended.
+ The horse was the first that marchéd o'er,
+ The foot soon followed a'ter, 30
+ But brave Duke Schomberg was no more,
+ By venturing over the water.
+
+ When valiant Schomberg he was slain,
+ King William thus accosted
+ His warlike men, for to march on, 35
+ And he would be the foremost.
+ "Brave boys," he said, "be not dismayed
+ For the losing of one commander;
+ For God will be our king this day,
+ And I'll be general under." 40
+
+ Then stoutly we the Boyne did cross,
+ To give our enemies battle;
+ Our cannon, to our foes great cost,
+ Like thundering claps did rattle,
+ In majestic mien our prince rode o'er, 45
+ His men soon followed a'ter;
+ With blows and shouts put our foes to the route,
+ The day we crossed the water.
+
+ The Protestants of Drogheda
+ Have reasons to be thankful, 50
+ That they were not to bondage brought,
+ They being but a handful.
+ First to the Tholsel they were brought,
+ And tied at Milmount a'ter,[L54]
+ But brave King William set them free, 55
+ By venturing over the water.
+
+ The cunning French, near to Duleek[L57]
+ Had taken up their quarters,
+ And fenced themselves on every side,
+ Still waiting for new orders. 60
+ But in the dead time of the night,
+ They set the field on fire;
+ And long before the morning light,
+ To Dublin they did retire.
+
+ Then said King William to his men, 65
+ After the French departed,
+ "I'm glad," said he, "that none of ye
+ Seeméd to be faint-hearted.
+ So sheath your swords, and rest awhile,
+ In time we'll follow a'ter:" 70
+ These words he uttered with a smile,
+ The day he crossed the water.
+
+ Come, let us all, with heart and voice,
+ Applaud our lives' defender,
+ Who at the Boyne his valour shewed, 75
+ And made his foes surrender,
+ To God above the praise we'll give,
+ Both now and ever a'ter,
+ And bless the glorious memory 79
+ Of King William that crossed the Boyne water.
+
+1. The Dutch guards first entered the river Boyne at a ford opposite to
+the little village of Oldbridge.--CROKER.
+
+54. "After the battle of the Boyne, the Popish garrison of Drogheda took
+the Protestants out of prison, into which they had thrown them, and
+carried them to the Mount; where they expected the cannon would play, if
+King William's forces besieged the town. _They tied them together_, and
+set them to receive the shot; but their hearts failed them who were to
+defend the place, and so it pleased God to preserve the poor
+Protestants."--_Memoirs of Ireland, &c._, cited by Croker.
+
+57. "When, in the course of the day, the battle approached James's
+position on the hill of Donore, the warlike prince retired to a more
+secure distance at Duleek, where he soon put himself at the head of his
+French allies, and led the retreat; the King and the French coming off
+without a scar."--O'Driscol, cited by Croker.
+
+
+
+
+THE WOMAN WARRIOR,
+
+
+ Who liv'd in Cow-Cross, near West-Smithfield; who, changing her
+ apparel, entered herself on board in quality of a soldier, and
+ sailed to Ireland, where she valiantly behaved herself,
+ particularly at the siege of Cork, where she lost her toes, and
+ received a mortal wound in her body, of which she since died in
+ her return to London.
+
+From Durfey's _Pills to Purge Melancholy_, v. 8.
+
+Cork was taken September 27-29, 1690, by the Duke (then Earl) of
+Marlborough, with the coöperation of the Duke of Wirtemberg. The Duke
+of Grafton, then serving as a volunteer, was mortally wounded while
+advancing to the assault. Croker suggests that this lamentation for
+the heroine of Cow-Cross, "the Mary Ambree of her age," was one of the
+many indirect efforts made to bring the military skill of Marlborough
+into popular notice.
+
+ Let the females attend
+ To the lines which are penn'd,
+ For here I shall give a relation
+ Of a young marry'd wife,
+ Who did venture her life, 5
+ For a soldier, a soldier she went from the nation.
+
+ She her husband did leave,
+ And did likewise receive
+ Her arms, and on board she did enter,
+ And right valiantly went, 10
+ With a resolution bent
+ To the ocean, the ocean, her life there to venture.
+
+ Yet of all the ship's crew,
+ Not a seaman that knew
+ They then had a woman so near 'em; 15
+ On the ocean so deep
+ She her council did keep,
+ Ay, and therefore, and therefore she never did fear 'em.
+
+ She was valiant and bold,
+ And would not be controul'd 20
+ By any that dare to offend her;
+ If a quarrel arose,
+ She would give him dry blows,
+ And the captain, the captain did highly commend her.
+
+ For he took her to be 25
+ Then of no mean degree,
+ A gentleman's son, or a squire;
+ With a hand white and fair,
+ There was none could compare,
+ Which the captain, the captain did often admire.
+
+ On the Irish shore, 31
+ Where the cannons did roar,
+ With many stout lads she was landed;
+ There her life to expose,
+ She lost two of her toes, 35
+ And in battle, in battle was daily commended.
+
+ Under Grafton she fought
+ Like a brave hero stout,
+ And made the proud Tories retire;
+ She in field did appear 40
+ With a heart void of fear,
+ And she bravely, she bravely did charge and give fire.
+
+ While the battering balls
+ Did assault the strong walls
+ Of Cork, and sweet trumpets sounded, 45
+ She did bravely advance
+ Where by unhappy chance
+ This young female, young female, alas! she was wounded.
+
+ At the end of the fray
+ Still she languishing lay, 50
+ Then over the ocean they brought her,
+ To her own native shore:
+ Now they ne'er knew before
+ That a woman, a woman had been in that slaughter.
+
+ What she long had conceal'd 55
+ Now at length she reveal'd,
+ That she was a woman that ventur'd;
+ Then to London with care
+ She did straitways repair,
+ But she dy'd, oh she dy'd, e'er the city she enter'd. 60
+
+ When her parents beheld,
+ They with sorrow was fill'd,
+ For why, they did dearly adore her;
+ In her grave now she lies,
+ Tis not watery eyes, 65
+ No, nor sighing, nor sighing that e'er can restore her.
+
+
+
+
+A DIALOGUE
+
+BETWEEN WILL LICK-LADLE AND TOM CLEAN-COGUE, TWA SHEPHERDS, WHA WERE
+FEEDING THEIR FLOCKS ON THE OCHIL-HILLS ON THE DAY THE BATTLE OF
+SHERIFF-MOOR WAS FOUGHT.
+
+
+(See p. 156. From Ritson's _Scottish Songs_, ii. 67.)
+
+ _W._ Pray came you here the fight to shun,
+ Or keep the sheep with me, man?
+ Or was you at the Sheriff-moor,
+ And did the battle see, man?
+ Pray tell whilk of the parties won? 5
+ For well I wat I saw them run,
+ Both south and north, when they begun,
+ To pell and mell, and kill and fell,
+ With muskets snell, and pistols knell,
+ And some to hell 10
+ Did flee, man.
+
+ _T._ But, my dear Will, I kenna still,
+ Whilk o' the twa did lose, man;
+ For well I wat they had good skill
+ To set upo' their foes, man: 15
+ The red-coats they are train'd, you see,
+ The clans always disdain to flee,
+ Wha then should gain the victory?
+ But the Highland race, all in a brace,
+ With a swift pace, to the Whigs disgrace, 20
+ Did put to chace
+ Their foes, man.
+
+ _W._ Now how diel, Tam, can this be true?
+ I saw the chace gae north, man.
+ _T._ But well I wat they did pursue 25
+ Them even unto Forth, man.
+ Frae Dumblain they ran in my own sight,
+ And got o'er the bridge with all their might,
+ And those at Stirling took their flight;
+ Gif only ye had been wi' me, 30
+ You had seen them flee, of each degree,
+ For fear to die
+ Wi' sloth, man.
+
+ _W._ My sister Kate came o'er the hill,
+ Wi' crowdie unto me, man; 35
+ She swore she saw them running still
+ Frae Perth unto Dundee, man.
+ The left wing gen'ral had na skill,
+ The Angus lads had no good will
+ That day their neighbours blood to spill; 40
+ For fear by foes that they should lose
+ Their cogues of brose, all crying woes--
+ Yonder them goes,
+ D'ye see, man?
+
+ _T._ I see but few like gentlemen 45
+ Amang yon frighted crew, man;
+ I fear my Lord Panmure be slain,
+ Or that he's ta'en just now, man:
+ For tho' his officers obey,
+ His cowardly commons run away, 50
+ For fear the red-coats them should slay;
+ The sodgers hail make their hearts fail;
+ See how they scale, and turn their tail,
+ And rin to flail
+ And plow, man. 55
+
+ _W._ But now brave Angus comes again
+ Into the second fight, man;
+ They swear they'll either dye or gain,
+ No foes shall them affright, man:
+ Argyle's best forces they'll withstand, 60
+ And boldly fight them sword in hand,
+ Give them a general to command,
+ A man of might, that will but fight,
+ And take delight to lead them right,
+ And ne'er desire 65
+ The flight, man.
+
+ But Flandrekins they have no skill[L67]
+ To lead a Scotish force, man;
+ Their motions do our courage spill,
+ And put us to a loss, man. 70
+ You'll hear of us far better news,
+ When we attack like Highland trews,
+ To hash, and slash, and smash and bruise,
+ Till the field, tho' braid, be all o'erspread,
+ But coat or plaid, wi' corpse that's dead 75
+ In their cold bed,
+ That's moss, man.
+
+ _T._ Twa gen'rals frae the field did run,
+ Lords Huntley and Seaforth, man;
+ They cry'd and run grim death to shun, 80
+ Those heroes of the North, man;
+ They're fitter far for book or pen,
+ Than under Mars to lead on men;
+ Ere they came there they might well ken
+ That female hands could ne'er gain lands; 85
+ 'Tis Highland brands that countermands
+ Argathlean bands
+ Frae Forth, man.
+
+ _W._ The Camerons scow'r'd as they were mad,
+ Lifting their neighbours cows, man, 90
+ M'Kenzie and the Stewart fled,
+ Without phil'beg or trews, man:
+ Had they behav'd like Donald's core,
+ And kill'd all those came them before,
+ Their king had gone to France no more: 95
+ Then each Whig saint wad soon repent,
+ And strait recant his covenant,
+ And rent
+ It at the news, man.
+
+ _T._ M'Gregors they far off did stand, 100
+ Badenach and Athol too, man;
+ I hear they wanted the command,
+ For I believe them true, man.
+ Perth, Fife, and Angus, wi' their horse,
+ Stood motionless, and some did worse, 105
+ For, tho' the red-coats went them cross,
+ They did conspire for to admire
+ Clans run and fire, left wings retire,
+ While rights intire
+ Pursue, man. 110
+
+ _W._ But Scotland has not much to say,
+ For such a fight as this is,
+ Where baith did fight, baith run away;
+ The devil take the miss is
+ That every officer was not slain 115
+ That run that day, and was not ta'en,
+ Either flying from or to Dumblain;
+ When Whig and Tory, in their 'fury,'
+ Strove for glory, to our sorrow,
+ The sad story 120
+ Hush is.
+
+67. By Flanderkins are meant Lieutenant-General Fanderbeck
+and Colonels Rantzaw and Cromstrom.--HOGG.
+
+
+
+
+UP AND WAR THEM A', WILLIE. See p. 156.
+
+
+From Herd's _Scotish Songs_, ii. 234. The same in Ritson's _Scotish
+Songs_, ii. 73. Burns furnished a somewhat different version to
+Johnson's _Museum_ (p. 195, also in Cromek's _Select Scotish Songs_,
+ii. 29), which he obtained from one Tom Neil, a carpenter in
+Edinburgh, who was famous for his singing of Scottish songs. The title
+and burden to this version is _Up and warn a', Willie_, an allusion,
+says Burns, to the _crantara_, or warning of a Highland clan to arms,
+which the Lowlanders, not understanding, have corrupted. There is
+another copy in Hogg's _Jacobite Relics_, ii. 18, which is nearly the
+same as the following.
+
+When the Earl of Mar first raised his standard, and proclaimed the
+Chevalier, the ornamental ball on the top of the staff fell off, and
+the superstitious Highlanders interpreted the circumstance as ominous
+of ill for their cause. This is the incident referred to in the third
+stanza.
+
+
+ When we went to the field of war,
+ And to the weapon-shaw, Willie,
+ With true design to stand our ground,
+ And chace our faes awa', Willie,
+ Lairds and lords came there bedeen, 5
+ And vow gin they were pra', Willie:
+ _Up and war 'em a', Willie,_
+ _War 'em, war 'em a', Willie._
+
+ And when our army was drawn up,
+ The bravest e'er I saw, Willie, 10
+ We did not doubt to rax the rout,
+ And win the day and a', Willie;
+ Pipers play'd frae right to left,
+ "Fy, fourugh Whigs awa'," Willie.
+ _Up and war, &c._ 15
+
+ But when our standard was set up,
+ So fierce the wind did bla', Willie,
+ The golden knop down from the top
+ Unto ground did fa', Willie:
+ Then second-sighted Sandy said, 20
+ "We'll do nae good at a', Willie."
+ _Up and war, &c._
+
+ When bra'ly they attack'd our left,
+ Our front, and flank, and a', Willie,
+ Our bald commander on the green,
+ Our faes their left did ca', Willie, 25
+ And there the greatest slaughter made
+ That e'er poor Tonald saw, Willie.
+ _Up and war, &c._
+
+ First when they saw our Highland mob,
+ They swore they'd slay us a', Willie;
+ And yet ane fyl'd his breiks for fear, 30
+ And so did rin awa', Willie:
+ We drave him back to Bonnybrigs,
+ Dragoons, and foot, and a', Willie.
+ _Up and war, &c._
+
+ But when their gen'ral view'd our lines,
+ And them in order saw, Willie, 35
+ He straight did march into the town,
+ And back his left did draw, Willie:
+ Thus we taught them the better gate,
+ To get a better fa', Willie.
+ _Up and war, &c._
+
+ And then we rally'd on the hills, 40
+ And bravely up did draw, Willie;
+ But gin ye spear wha wan the day,
+ I'll tell you what I saw, Willie:
+ We baith did fight, and baith were beat,
+ And baith did run awa', Willie. 45
+ So there's my canty Highland sang
+ About the thing I saw, Willie.
+
+
+
+
+THE MARQUIS OF HUNTLEY'S RETREAT FROM THE BATTLE OF SHERIFFMUIR.
+
+See p. 156. From _A New Book of Old Ballads_, p. 30.
+
+
+Hogg inserted this ballad in the _Jacobite Relics_, ii. 13, using,
+says Maidment, the editor of the publication cited above, a very
+imperfect manuscript copy. The following version was taken from the
+original broad-side, supposed to be unique. There are very
+considerable variations in the language of the two copies, and the
+order of the stanzas is quite different. This says Hogg, "is
+exclusively a party song, made by some of the Grants, or their
+adherents, in obloquy of their more potent neighbours, the Gordons. It
+is in a great measure untrue; for, though the Marquis of Huntley was
+on the left wing at the head of a body of horse, and among the
+gentlemen that fled, yet two battalions of Gordons, or at least of
+Gordon's vassals, perhaps mostly of the Clan Chattan, behaved
+themselves as well as any on the field, and were particularly
+instrumental in breaking the Whig cavalry, or the left wing of their
+army, and driving them back among their foot. On this account, as well
+as that of the bitter personalities that it contains, the "song is
+only curious as an inveterate party song, and not as a genuine
+humorous description of the fight that the Marquis and his friends
+were in. The latter part of the [third] stanza seems to allude to an
+engagement that took place at Dollar, on the 24th October, a fortnight
+previous to the battle of Sheriffmuir. Mar had despatched a small body
+of cavalry to force an assessment from the town of Dunfermline, of
+which Argyle getting notice, sent out a stronger party, who surprised
+them early in the morning before daylight, and arrested them, killing
+some and taking seventeen prisoners, several of whom were Gordons. The
+last stanza [but one] evidently alludes to the final submission of the
+Marquis and the rest of the Gordons to King George's government, which
+they did to the Grants and the Earl of Sutherland. The former had
+previously taken possession of Castle Gordon; of course, the malicious
+bard of the Grants, with his ill-scraped pen, was not to let that
+instance of the humiliation of his illustrious neighbours pass
+unnoticed.--JACOBITE RELICS, vol. ii. p. 255.
+
+
+ From Bogie side to Bogie Gight,
+ The Gordons all conveen'd, man,
+ With all their might, to battle wight,[L3]
+ Together close they join'd, man,[L4]
+ To set their king upon the throne, 5
+ And to protect the church, man;
+ But fy for shame! they soon ran hame,
+ And left him in the lurch, man.
+ _Vow as the Marquis ran,
+ Coming from Dumblane, man!
+ Strabogie did b--t itself,
+ And Enzie was not clean, man._
+
+ Their chieftain was a man of fame,
+ And doughty deeds had wrought, man, 10
+ Which future ages still shall name,
+ And tell how well he fought, man.
+ For when the battle did begin,
+ Immediately his Grace, man,
+ Put spurs to Florance, and so ran[L15] 15
+ By all, and wan the race, man.
+ _Vow, &c._
+
+ The Marquis' horse was first sent forth,
+ Glenbucket's foot to back them,
+ To give a proof what they were worth,
+ If rebels durst attack them. 20
+ With loud huzzas to Huntly's praise,
+ They near'd Dumfermling Green, man,
+ But fifty horse, and de'il ane mair,
+ Turn'd many a Highland clan, man.
+ _Vow, &c._
+
+ The second chieftain of that clan, 25
+ For fear that he should die, man,
+ To gain the honour of his name,
+ Rais'd first the mutinie, man.
+ And then he wrote unto his Grace,
+ The great Duke of Argyle, man, 30
+ And swore, if he would grant him peace,
+ The Tories he'd beguile, man.
+ _Vow, &c._
+
+ The Master with the bullie's face,[L33]
+ And with the coward's heart, man,
+ Who never fails, to his disgrace, 35
+ To act a traitor's part, man,
+ He join'd Drumboig, the greatest knave
+ In all the shire of Fife, man.
+ He was the first the cause did leave,
+ By council of his wife, man. 40
+ _Vow, &c._
+
+ A member of the tricking trade,
+ An Ogilvie by name, man,
+ Consulter of the grumbling club,
+ To his eternal shame, man,
+ Who would have thought, when he came out, 45
+ That ever he would fail, man?
+ And like a fool, did eat the cow,
+ And worried on the tail, man.
+ _Vow, &c._
+
+ Meffan Smith, at Sheriff Muir,[L49]
+ Gart folk believe he fought, man; 50
+ But well it's known, that all he did,
+ That day it serv'd for nought, man.
+ For towards night, when Mar march'd off,
+ Smith was put in the rere, man;
+ He curs'd, he swore, he baul[lè]d out, 55
+ He would not stay for fear, man.
+ _Vow, &c._
+
+ But at the first he seem'd to be
+ A man of good renown, man;
+ But when the grumbling work began,
+ He prov'd an arrant lown, man. 60
+ Against Mar, and a royal war,
+ A letter he did forge, man;
+ Against his Prince, he wrote nonsense,
+ And swore by Royal George, man.[L64]
+ _Vow, &c._
+
+ At Poineth boat, Mr. Francis Stewart,[L65] 65
+ A valiant hero stood, man,
+ In acting of a royal part,
+ Cause of the royal blood, man.
+ But when at Sheriff Moor he found
+ That bolting would not do it, 70
+ He, brother like, did quite his ground,
+ And ne're came back unto it.
+ _Vow, &c._
+
+ Brunstane said it was not fear
+ That made him stay behind, man;
+ But that he had resolv'd that day 75
+ To sleep in a whole skin, man.
+ The gout, he said, made him take [bed],
+ When battle first began, man;
+ But when he heard his Marquis fled,
+ He took his heels and ran, man. 80
+ _Vow, &c._
+
+ Sir James of Park, he left his horse
+ In the middle of a wall, man;
+ And durst not stay to take him out,
+ For fear a knight should fall, man;
+ And Maien he let such a crack, 85
+ And shewed a pantick fear, man;
+ And Craigieheads swore he was shot,
+ And curs'd the chance of wear, man.
+ _Vow, &c._
+
+ When they march'd on the Sheriff Moor,
+ With courage stout and keen, man; 90
+ Who would have thought the Gordons gay
+ That day should quite the green, man?
+ Auchleacher and Auchanachie,
+ And all the Gordon tribe, man,
+ Like their great Marquis, they could not 95
+ The smell of powder bide, man.
+ _Vow, &c._
+
+ Glenbuicket cryed, "Plague on you all,
+ For Gordons do no good, man;
+ For all that fled this day, it is
+ Them of the Seaton blood, man." 100
+ Clashtirim said it was not so,
+ And that he'd make appear, man;
+ For he, a Seaton, stood that day,
+ When Gordons ran for fear, man.
+ _Vow, &c._
+
+ The Gordons they are kittle flaws, 105
+ They'll fight with heart and hand, man;
+ When they met in Strathbogie raws
+ On Thursday afternoon, man;
+ But when the Grants came doun the brae,
+ Their Enzie shook for fear, man; 110
+ And all the lairds rode up themselves,
+ With horse and riding gear, man.
+ _Vow, &c._
+
+ Cluny plays his game of chess,[L113]
+ As sure as any thing, man;
+ And like the royal Gordons race, 115
+ Gave check unto the king, man.
+ Without a queen, its clearly seen,
+ This game cannot recover;
+ I'd do my best, then in great haste
+ Play up the rook Hanover. 120
+ _Vow, &c._
+
+3. weight.
+
+4. closs.
+
+15. His horse, so called from having been a present from the Grand Duke
+of Tuscany.--M.
+
+33. Master of Sinclair, whose Court-Martial has been printed with an
+exceedingly interesting preface by Sir Walter Scott, as his contribution
+to the Roxburgh Club.
+
+49. David Smith was then proprietor of Methven, an estate in Perthshire.
+He died in 1735. Douglas, in his Baronage, terms him, "a man of good
+parts, great sagacity, and economy."--M.
+
+64. Altered in MS. to "German George."--M.
+
+65. Brother to Charles, 5th Earl of Moray. Upon his brother's death, 7th
+October, 1735, he became the 6th Earl. He died in the 66th year of his
+age, on the 11th December, 1739.--M.
+
+113. This seems rather Gordon of Cluny than Cluny Macpherson. The
+estate of Cluny has passed from the ancient race, though still possessed
+by a Gordon.--M.
+
+
+
+
+JOHNIE COPE. See p. 168.
+
+Johnson's _Museum_ (1853), vol. iv. p. 220, Ritson's _Scottish Songs_,
+ii. 84.
+
+
+ Cope sent a challenge frae Dunbar,
+ "Charlie meet me, an ye daur,
+ And I'll learn you the airt of war,
+ If you'll meet wi' me in the morning."
+ _Hey, Johnie Cope! are ye waking yet?
+ Or are your drums a-beating yet?
+ If ye were waking, I would wait
+ To gang to the coals i' the morning._
+
+ When Charlie looked the letter upon, 5
+ He drew his sword the scabbard from,
+ "Come, follow me, my merry men,
+ And we'll meet Johnie Cope i' the morning."
+ _Hey, Johnie Cope! &c._
+
+ "Now, Johnie, be as good as your word,
+ Come let us try baith fire and sword, 10
+ And dinna flee like a frighted bird,
+ That's chased frae its nest i' the morning."
+ _Hey, Johnie Cope! &c._
+
+ When Johnie Cope he heard of this,
+ He thought it wadna be amiss
+ To hae a horse in readiness, 15
+ To flee awa i' the morning.
+ _Hey, Johnie Cope! &c._
+
+ "Fye now, Johnie, get up and rin,
+ The Highland bagpipes mak a din;
+ It's best to sleep in a hale skin,
+ For 'twill be a bluddie morning." 20
+ _Hey, Johnie Cope! &c._
+
+ When Johnie Cope to Dunbar came
+ They spear'd at him, "Where's a' your men?"
+ "The deil confound me gin I ken,
+ For I left them a' i' the morning."
+ _Hey, Johnie Cope! &c._
+
+ "Now Johnie, troth, ye were na blate 25
+ To come wi' the news o' your ain defeat,
+ And leave your men in sic a strait,
+ So early in the morning."
+ _Hey, Johnie Cope! &c._
+
+ "In faith," quo Johnie, "I got sic flegs
+ Wi' their claymores and filabegs, 30
+ If I face them [again], deil break my legs,
+ So I wish you a' good morning."
+ _Hey, Johnie Cope! &c._
+
+
+
+
+KING LEIR AND HIS THREE DAUGHTERS.
+
+
+From _A Collection of Old Ballads_, ii. 8. The same, with one or two
+trifling verbal differences, in Percy's _Reliques_, i. 246.
+
+This story was originally told by Geoffrey of Monmouth, _Historia
+Britonum_, lib. ii. c. 2. It occurs in two forms in the _Gesta
+Romanorum_: see Madden's _Old English Versions_, p. 44, p. 450.
+
+Shakespeare's _King Lear_ was first printed in 1608, and is supposed
+to have been written between 1603 and 1605. Another drama on the
+subject was printed in 1605, called _The true Chronicle History of
+King Leir and his Three Daughters, Gonorill, Ragan, and Cordella_.
+This was probably only a new impression of a piece entered in the
+Stationers' Registers as early as 1594. The ballad which follows
+agrees with Shakespeare's play in several particulars in which
+Shakespeare varies from the older drama and from Holinshed, the
+authority of both dramas. The name Cordelia is also found in place of
+the Cordella of the _Chronicle History_; but, on the other hand, we
+have Ragan instead of Shakespeare's Regan. In the absence of a date,
+we are unable to determine whether the ballad was written prior to the
+play of _King Lear_, or was founded upon it.
+
+ King Leir once ruléd in this land
+ With princely power and peace,
+ And had all things, with hearts content,
+ That might his joys increase.
+ Amongst those things that nature gave, 5
+ Three daughters fair had he,
+ So princely seeming beautiful,
+ As fairer could not be.
+
+ So on a time it pleas'd the king
+ A question thus to move, 10
+ Which of his daughters to his grace
+ Could shew the dearest love:
+ "For to my age you bring content,"
+ Quoth he, "then let me hear,
+ Which of you three in plighted troth 15
+ The kindest will appear."
+
+ To whom the eldest thus began:
+ "Dear father, mind," quoth she,
+ "Before your face, to do you good,
+ My blood shall rendred be. 20
+ And for your sake my bleeding heart
+ Shall here be cut in twain,
+ Ere that I see your reverend age
+ The smallest grief sustain."
+
+ "And so will I," the second said; 25
+ "Dear father, for your sake,
+ The worst of all extremities
+ I'll gently undertake:
+ And serve your highness night and day
+ With diligence and love; 30
+ That sweet content and quietness
+ Discomforts may remove."
+
+ "In doing so, you glad my soul,"
+ The aged king reply'd;
+ "But what say'st thou, my youngest girl? 35
+ How is thy love ally'd?"
+ "My love," quoth young Cordelia then,
+ "Which to your grace I owe,
+ Shall be the duty of a child,
+ And that is all I'll show." 40
+
+ "And wilt thou shew no more," quoth he,
+ "Than doth thy duty bind?
+ I well perceive thy love is small,
+ When as no more I find.
+ Henceforth I banish thee my court; 45
+ Thou art no child of mine;
+ Nor any part of this my realm
+ By favour shall be thine.
+
+ "Thy elder sisters' loves are more
+ Than well I can demand; 50
+ To whom I equally bestow
+ My kingdom and my land,
+ My pompous state and all my goods,
+ That lovingly I may
+ With those thy sisters be maintain'd 55
+ Until my dying day."
+
+ Thus flattering speeches won renown,
+ By these two sisters here;
+ The third had causeless banishment,
+ Yet was her love more dear. 60
+ For poor Cordelia patiently
+ Went wandring up and down,
+ Unhelp'd, unpitied, gentle maid,
+ Through many an English town.
+
+ Until at last in famous France 65
+ She gentler fortunes found;
+ Though poor and bare, yet she was deem'd
+ The fairest on the ground:
+ Where when the king her virtues heard,
+ And this fair lady seen, 70
+ With full consent of all his court
+ He made his wife and queen.
+
+ Her father, old King Leir, this while
+ With his two daughters staid;
+ Forgetful of their promis'd loves, 75
+ Full soon the same decay'd;[L76]
+ And living in Queen Ragan's court,
+ The eldest of the twain,
+ She took from him his chiefest means,
+ And most of all his train. 80
+
+ For whereas twenty men were wont
+ To wait with bended knee,
+ She gave allowance but to ten,
+ And after scarce to three,
+ Nay, one she thought too much for him; 85
+ So took she all away,
+ In hope that in her court, good king,
+ He would no longer stay.
+
+ "Am I rewarded thus," quoth he,
+ "In giving all I have 90
+ Unto my children, and to beg
+ For what I lately gave?
+ I'll go unto my Gonorel:
+ My second child, I know,
+ Will be more kind and pitiful, 95
+ And will relieve my woe."
+
+ Full fast he hies then to her court;
+ Where, when she hears his moan,
+ Return'd him answer, that she griev'd
+ That all his means were gone; 100
+ But no way could relieve his wants;
+ Yet if that he would stay
+ Within her kitchen, he should have
+ What scullions gave away.
+
+ When he had heard, with bitter tears, 105
+ He made his answer then;
+ "In what I did, let me be made
+ Example to all men.
+ I will return again," quoth he,
+ "Unto my Ragan's court; 110
+ She will not use me thus, I hope,
+ But in a kinder sort."
+
+ Where when he came, she gave command
+ To drive him thence away:
+ When he was well within her court, 115
+ She said, he would not stay.
+ Then back again to Gonorell
+ The woeful king did hie,
+ That in her kitchen he might have
+ What scullion boys set by. 120
+
+ But there of that he was deny'd
+ Which she had promis'd late:
+ For once refusing, he should not
+ Come after to her gate.
+ Thus twixt his daughters for relief 125
+ He wandred up and down,
+ Being glad to feed on beggars food,
+ That lately wore a crown.
+
+ And calling to remembrance then
+ His youngest daughter's words, 130
+ That said, the duty of a child
+ Was all that love affords--
+ But doubting to repair to her,
+ Whom he had banish'd so,
+ Grew frantick mad; for in his mind 135
+ He bore the wounds of woe.
+
+ Which made him rend his milk-white locks
+ And tresses from his head,
+ And all with blood bestain his cheeks,
+ With age and honour spread. 140
+ To hills and woods and watry founts
+ He made his hourly moan,
+ Till hills and woods and senseless things
+ Did seem to sigh and groan.
+
+ Ev'n thus posses'd with discontents, 145
+ He passed o'er to France,
+ In hopes from fair Cordelia there
+ To find some gentler chance.
+ Most virtuous dame! which, when she heard
+ Of this her father's grief, 150
+ As duty bound, she quickly sent
+ Him comfort and relief.
+
+ And by a train of noble peers,
+ In brave and gallant sort,
+ She gave in charge he should be brought 155
+ To Aganippus' court;
+ Whose royal king, with noble mind,[L157]
+ So freely gave consent
+ To muster up his knights at arms,
+ To fame and courage bent. 160
+
+ And so to England came with speed,
+ To repossess King Leir,
+ And drive his daughters from their thrones
+ By his Cordelia dear.
+ Where she, true-hearted, noble queen, 165
+ Was in the battel slain;
+ Yet he, good king, in his old days,
+ Possess'd his crown again.
+
+ But when he heard Cordelia's death,
+ Who died indeed for love 170
+ Of her dear father, in whose cause
+ She did this battel move,
+ He swooning fell upon her breast,
+ From whence he never parted;
+ But on her bosom left his life 175
+ That was so truly hearted.
+
+ The lords and nobles, when they saw
+ The end of these events,
+ The other sisters unto death
+ They doomed by consents; 180
+ And being dead, their crowns they left
+ Unto the next of kin:
+ Thus have you seen the fall of pride,
+ And disobedient sin.
+
+76 deny'd.
+
+157. whose noble.
+
+
+
+
+FAIR ROSAMOND.
+
+
+The celebrated mistress of Henry the Second was daughter to Walter
+Clifford, a baron of Herefordshire. She bore the king two sons, one of
+them while he was still Duke of Normandy. Before her death she retired
+to the convent of Godstow, and there she was buried; but Hugh, Bishop
+of Lincoln, not courtly enough to distinguish between royal and vulgar
+immoralities, caused her body to be removed, and interred in the
+common cemetery, "lest Christian religion should grow in contempt."
+
+The story of Queen Eleanor's poisoning her rival is not confirmed by
+the old writers, though they mention the labyrinth. All the romance in
+Rosamond's history appears to be the offspring of popular fancy. Percy
+has collected the principal passages from the chronicles in his
+preface to the ballad.
+
+_Fair Rosamond_ is the work of Thomas Deloney, a well-known
+ballad-maker who died about 1600. Our copy is the earliest that is
+known, and is taken from Deloney's _Strange Histories_, ed. of 1607,
+as reprinted by the Percy Society, vol. iii. p. 54. The same is found
+in the _Crown Garland of Golden Roses_, ed. 1659 (Per. Soc. vol. vi.
+p. 12), and in the _Garland of Good Will_, ed. 1678 (Per. Soc. vol.
+xxx. p. 1.): and besides, with trifling variations, in _A Collection
+of Old Ballads_, i. 11, Percy's _Reliques_, ii. 151, and Ritson's
+_Ancient Songs_, ii. 120, from black-letter copies.
+
+Another ballad with the title of the _Unfortunate Concubine, or,
+Rosamond's Overthrow_, is given in the collection of 1723, vol. i. p.
+1. The story is also treated in the forty-first chapter of Warner's
+_Albion's England_. Warner has at least one good stanza,[3] which is
+more than can be said of this wretched, but very popular, production.
+
+Some corrections have been adopted from the _Crown Garland of Golden
+Roses_.
+
+[3] With that she dasht her on the lips,
+ So dyèd double red;
+ Hard was the heart that gave the blow,
+ Soft were those lips that bled.
+
+ * * * * *
+
+ When as King Henrie rul'd this land,[L1]
+ The second of that name,
+ Beside the Queene, he dearly loved
+ A faire and princely dame.
+ Most peerelesse was her beautie found, 5
+ Her favour, and her face;
+ A sweeter creature in this world
+ Did never prince imbrace.
+
+ Her crisped locks like threades of gold
+ Appeared to each mans sight; 10
+ Her comely eyes, like orient pearles,
+ Did cast a heavenly light.
+ The blood within her cristall cheekes
+ Did such a cullour drive,
+ As though the lilly and the rose 15
+ For maistership did strive.
+
+ Yea Rosamond, fair Rosamond,
+ Her name was called so,
+ To whome dame Elinor, our queene,
+ Was knowne a cruell foe. 20
+ The king therefore, for her defence
+ Against the furious queene,
+ At Woodstocke buylded such a bower,
+ The like was never seene.
+
+ Most curiously that bower was buylt, 25
+ Of stone and timber strong;
+ A hundred and fiftie doores
+ Did to that bower belong:
+ And they so cunningly contriv'd,
+ With turning round about, 30
+ That none but by a clew of thread
+ Could enter in or out.
+
+ And for his love and ladyes sake,
+ That was so fair and bright,
+ The keeping of this bower he gave 35
+ Unto a valiant knight.
+ But fortune, that doth often frowne
+ Where she before did smile,
+ The kinges delight, the ladyes joy
+ Full soone she did beguile. 40
+
+ For why, the kings ungracious sonne,
+ Whom he did high advance,
+ Against his father raised warres
+ Within the realme of France.
+ But yet before our comely king 45
+ The English land forsooke,
+ Of Rosamond, his ladye faire,
+ His farewell thus he tooke:
+
+ "My Rosamond, my onely Rose,
+ That pleaseth best mine eye, 50
+ The fairest Rose in all the world
+ To feed my fantasie,--
+ "The flower of my affected heart,
+ Whose sweetness doth excell,
+ My royall Rose, a hundred times 55
+ I bid thee now farewell!
+
+ "For I must leave my fairest flower,
+ My sweetest Rose, a space,
+ And crosse the seas to famous France,
+ Proude rebels to abace. 60
+ "But yet, my Rose, be sure thou shalt
+ My comming shortly see,
+ And in my heart, while hence I am,
+ Ile beare my Rose with mee."
+
+ When Rosamond, that lady bright, 65
+ Did heare the king say so,
+ The sorrow of her greeved heart
+ Her outward lookes did show.
+ And from her cleare and cristall eyes
+ The teares gusht out apace, 70
+ Which, like the silver-pearled deaw,
+ Ran downe her comely face.
+
+ Her lippes, like to a corrall red,
+ Did waxe both wan and pale,
+ And for the sorrow she conceived 75
+ Her vitall spirits did fayle.
+ And falling downe all in a swound[L77]
+ Before King Henries face,
+ Full oft betweene his princely armes
+ Her corpes he did imbrace. 80
+
+ And twenty times, with waterie eyes,
+ He kist her tender cheeke,
+ Untill she had received againe[L83]
+ Her senses milde and meeke.
+ "Why grieves my Rose, my sweetest Rose?" 85
+ The king did ever say:
+ "Because," quoth she, "to bloody warres
+ My lord must part away.
+
+ "But sithe your Grace in forraine coastes,
+ Among your foes unkind, 90
+ Must go to hazard life and limme,
+ Why should I stay behind?
+ "Nay, rather let me, like a page,
+ Your sword and target beare;[L94]
+ That on my breast the blow may light, 95
+ Which should annoy you there.
+
+ "O let me, in your royall tent,
+ Prepare your bed at night,
+ And with sweet baths refresh your grace,
+ At your returne from fight. 100
+ "So I your presence may enjoy,
+ No toyle I will refuse;[L102]
+ But wanting you, my life is death:
+ Which doth true love abuse."
+
+ "Content thy selfe, my dearest friend, 105
+ Thy rest at home shall bee,
+ In England's sweete and pleasant soyle;[L107]
+ For travaile fits not thee.
+ "Faire ladyes brooke not bloody warres;
+ Sweete peace their pleasures breede, 110
+ The nourisher of hearts content,
+ Which fancie first doth feede.
+
+ "My Rose shall rest in Woodstocke bower,
+ With musickes sweete delight,
+ While I among the pierceing pikes 115
+ Against my foes do fight.
+ "My Rose in robes of pearl and gold,[L117]
+ With diamonds richly dight,
+ Shall daunce the galliards of my love,
+ While I my foes do smite. 120
+
+ "And you, Sir Thomas, whom I trust
+ To be my loves defence,[L122]
+ Be carefull of my gallant Rose
+ When I am parted hence."
+ And therewithall he fetcht a sigh, 125
+ As though his heart would breake:
+ And Rosamond, for inward griefe,
+ Not one plaine word could speake.
+
+ And at their parting well they might
+ In heart be grieved sore: 130
+ After that day, faire Rosamond
+ The King did see no more.
+ For when his Grace had past the seas,
+ And into France was gone,
+ Queene Elinor, with envious heart, 135
+ To Woodstocke came anone.
+
+ And foorth she cald this trusty knight
+ Which kept the curious bower,
+ Who, with his clew of twined threed,
+ Came from that famous flower. 140
+ And when that they had wounded him,
+ The queene his threed did get,
+ And went where lady Rosamond
+ Was like an angell set.
+
+ And when the queene with stedfast eye 145
+ Beheld her heavenly face,
+ She was amazed in her minde
+ At her exceeding grace.
+ "Cast off from thee thy robes," she sayd,
+ "That rich and costly be; 150
+ And drinke thou up this deadly draught,
+ Which I have brought for thee."
+
+ But presently upon her knees
+ Sweet Rosamond did fall;
+ And pardon of the queene she crav'd 155
+ For her offences all.
+ "Take pittie on my youthfull yeares,"
+ Faire Rosamond did cry;
+ "And let me not with poyson strong
+ Inforcèd be to die. 160
+
+ "I will renounce this sinfull life,
+ And in a cloyster bide;
+ Or else be banisht, if you please,
+ To range the world so wide.
+ "And for the fault which I have done, 165
+ Though I was forst thereto,
+ Preserve my life, and punish me
+ As you thinke good to do."
+
+ And with these words, her lilly hands
+ She wrang full often there; 170
+ And downe along her lovely cheekes
+ Proceeded many a teare.
+ But nothing could this furious queene
+ Therewith appeased bee;
+ The cup of deadly poyson filld, 175
+ As she sat on her knee,
+
+ She gave the comely dame to drinke;
+ Who tooke it in her hand,
+ And from her bended knee arose,
+ And on her feet did stand. 180
+ And casting up her eyes to heaven,
+ She did for mercy call;
+ And drinking up the poyson then,
+ Her life she lost withall.
+
+ And when that death through every lim 185
+ Had done his greatest spite,
+ Her chiefest foes did plaine confesse
+ She was a glorious wight.
+ Her body then they did intombe,
+ When life was fled away, 190
+ At Godstow, neere [to] Oxford towne,
+ As may be seene this day.
+
+77. sound.
+
+83. he had reviv'd.--_C. G._
+
+94. shield: sword, _Garl. G. W._
+
+102. must refuse.
+
+107. England.
+
+117. robes and pearls of gold.
+
+122. beare.
+
+
+
+
+QUEEN ELEANOR'S FALL.
+
+_A Collection of Old Ballads_, i. 97.
+
+
+"I never was more surprised," says the editor of the Collection of
+1723, "than at the sight of the following ballad; little expecting to
+see pride and wickedness laid to the charge of the most affable and
+most virtuous of women: whose glorious actions are not recorded by
+_our_ historians only; for no foreign writers, who have touched upon
+those early times, have in silence passed over this illustrious
+princess, and every nation rings with the praise of Eleonora Isabella
+of Castile, King Edward's Queen. Father Le Monie, who (in his
+_Gallérie des Femmes Fortes_) has searched all Christendom round, from
+its very infancy to the last age, for five heroines, very partially
+bestows the first place upon one of his own country-women, but gives
+the second, with a far superior character, to this queen."
+
+In this absurdly false and ignorant production, the well-beloved
+Eleonora of Castile is no doubt confounded with her most unpopular
+mother-in-law, Eleanor of Provence, the wife of Henry the Third, whose
+luxurious habits, and quarrels with the city of London, might afford
+some shadow of a basis for the impossible slanders of the
+ballad-singer. Queenhithe was a quay, the tolls of which formed part
+of the revenue of the Queen, and Eleanor of Provence rendered herself
+extremely odious by compelling vessels, for the sake of her fees, to
+unlade there. Charing-cross was one of thirteen monuments raised by
+Edward the First at the stages, where his queen's body rested, on its
+progress from the place of her decease to Westminster. In the
+connection of both these places with the name of a Queen Eleanor may
+be found (as Miss Strickland suggests in her _Lives of the Queens_)
+the germ of the marvellous story of the disappearance at Charing-cross
+and the resurrection at Queenhithe.
+
+That portion of the story which relates to the cruelty exercised by
+the queen towards the Lord Mayor's wife is borrowed from the _Gesta
+Romanorum_. See Madden's _Old English Versions_, &c. p. 226, _Olimpus
+the Emperour_. Peele's _Chronicle History of Edward the First_
+exhibits the same misrepresentations of Eleanor of Castile. See what
+is said of this play in connection with the ballad of _Queen Eleanor's
+Confession_, vol. vi. p. 209. The whole title of the ballad is:--
+
+
+A Warning Piece to England against Pride and Wickedness:
+
+ Being the Fall of Queen Eleanor, Wife to Edward the First, King of
+ England; who, for her pride, by God's Judgments, sunk into the
+ Ground at Charing-cross and rose at Queenhithe.
+
+ When Edward was in England king,
+ The first of all that name,
+ Proud Ellinor he made his queen,
+ A stately Spanish dame:
+ Whose wicked life, and sinful pride, 5
+ Thro' England did excel:
+ To dainty dames, and gallant maids,
+ This queen was known full well.
+
+ She was the first that did invent
+ In coaches brave to ride; 10
+ She was the first that brought this land
+ To deadly sin of pride.
+ No English taylor here could serve
+ To make her rich attire;
+ But sent for taylors into Spain, 15
+ To feed her vain desire.
+
+ They brought in fashions strange and new,
+ With golden garments bright;
+ The farthingale, and mighty ruff,
+ With gowns of rich delight: 20
+ The London dames, in Spanish pride,
+ Did flourish every where;
+ Our English men, like women then,
+ Did wear long locks of hair.
+
+ Both man and child, both maid and wife, 25
+ Were drown'd in pride of Spain:
+ And thought the Spanish taylors then
+ Our English men did stain:
+ Whereat the queen did much despite,
+ To see our English men 30
+ In vestures clad, as brave to see
+ As any Spaniard then.
+
+ She crav'd the king, that ev'ry man
+ That wore long locks of hair,
+ Might then be cut and polled all, 35
+ Or shaved very near.
+ Whereat the king did seem content,
+ And soon thereto agreed;
+ And first commanded, that his own
+ Should then be cut with speed: 40
+
+ And after that, to please his queen,
+ Proclaimed thro' the land,
+ That ev'ry man that wore long hair
+ Should poll him out of hand.
+ But yet this Spaniard, not content, 45
+ To women bore a spite,
+ And then requested of the king,
+ Against all law and right,
+
+ That ev'ry womankind should have
+ Their right breast cut away; 50
+ And then with burning irons sear'd,
+ The blood to stanch and stay!
+ King Edward then, perceiving well
+ Her spite to womankind,
+ Devised soon by policy 55
+ To turn her bloody mind.
+
+ He sent for burning irons straight,
+ All sparkling hot to see;
+ And said, "O queen, come on thy way;
+ "I will begin with thee." 60
+ Which words did much displease the queen,
+ That penance to begin;
+ But ask'd him pardon on her knees;
+ Who gave her grace therein.
+
+ But afterwards she chanc'd to pass 65
+ Along brave London streets,
+ Whereas the mayor of London's wife
+ In stately sort she meets;
+ With music, mirth, and melody,
+ Unto the church they went, 70
+ To give God thanks, that to th' lord mayor
+ A noble son had sent.
+
+ It grieved much this spiteful queen,
+ To see that any one
+ Should so exceed in mirth and joy, 75
+ Except herself alone:
+ For which, she after did devise
+ Within her bloody mind,
+ And practis'd still more secretly,
+ To kill this lady kind. 80
+
+ Unto the mayor of London then
+ She sent her letters straight,
+ To send his lady to the court,
+ Upon her grace to wait.
+ But when the London lady came 85
+ Before proud El'nor's face,
+ She stript her from her rich array,
+ And kept her vile and base.
+
+ She sent her into Wales with speed,
+ And kept her secret there, 90
+ And us'd her still more cruelly
+ Than ever man did hear.
+ She made her wash, she made her starch,
+ She made her drudge alway;
+ She made her nurse up children small, 95
+ And labour night and day.
+
+ But this contented not the queen,
+ But shew'd her most despite;
+ She bound this lady to a post,
+ At twelve a clock at night; 100
+ And as, poor lady, she stood bound,
+ The queen, in angry mood,
+ Bid set two snakes unto her breast,
+ That suck'd away her blood.
+
+ Thus died the mayor of London's wife, 105
+ Most grievous for to hear;
+ Which made the Spaniard grow more proud,
+ As after shall appear.
+ The wheat that daily made her bread
+ Was bolted twenty times; 110
+ The food that fed this stately dame,
+ Was boil'd in costly wines.
+
+ The water that did spring from ground,
+ She would not touch at all;
+ But wash'd her hands with the dew of heav'n, 115
+ That on sweet roses fall.
+ She bath'd her body many a time
+ In fountains fill'd with milk;
+ And ev'ry day did change attire,
+ In costly Median silk. 120
+
+ But coming then to London back,
+ Within her coach of gold,
+ A tempest strange within the skies
+ This queen did there behold:
+ Out of which storm she could not go, 125
+ But there remain'd a space;
+ Four horses could not stir the coach
+ A foot out of the place.
+
+ A judgment lately sent from heav'n,
+ For shedding guiltless blood, 130
+ Upon this sinful queen, that slew
+ The London lady good!
+ King Edward then, as wisdom will'd,
+ Accus'd her of that deed;
+ But she denied, and wish'd that God 135
+ Would send his wrath with speed,--
+
+ If that upon so vile a thing
+ Her heart did ever think,
+ She wish'd the ground might open wide,
+ And she therein might sink! 140
+ With that, at Charing-cross she sunk
+ Into the ground alive,
+ And after rose with life again,
+ In London, at Queenhithe.
+
+ When, after that, she languish'd sore 145
+ Full twenty days in pain,
+ At last confess'd the lady's blood
+ Her guilty hand had slain:
+ And likewise, how that by a fryar
+ She had a base-born child; 150
+ Whose sinful lusts and wickedness
+ Her marriage bed defil'd.
+
+ Thus have you heard the fall of pride,
+ A just reward of sin;
+ For those who will forswear themselves, 155
+ God's vengeance daily win.
+ Beware of pride, ye courtly dames,
+ Both wives and maidens all;
+ Bear this imprinted on your mind,
+ That pride must have a fall. 160
+
+
+
+
+THE DUCHESS OF SUFFOLK'S CALAMITY.
+
+
+From _Strange Histories_, p. 17 (Percy Society, vol. iii). Other
+copies, with variations, are in _The Crown-Garland of Golden Roses_,
+Part II. p. 20 (Percy Society, vol. xv.), and _A Collection of Old
+Ballads_, iii. 91. The editor of _Strange Histories_ informs us that a
+play on the same subject as the ballad was written by Thomas Drew, or
+Drue, early in the reign of James I., and printed in 1631, under the
+title of _The Duchess of Suffolk, her Life_. He remarks further that
+both play and ballad was founded upon the narrative of Fox, anno 1558
+[_Acts and Monuments_, iii. 926, ed. 1641]; but the differences
+between Fox's account and the story which follows are altogether too
+great for this supposition to be true.
+
+Katharine, daughter of Lord Willoughby of Eresby, was first married to
+Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, and after his death to Richard
+Bertie, Esq., with whom she was forced to fly from persecution in
+1553, taking refuge first in the Low Countries, and afterwards in
+Poland.
+
+
+ When God had taken for our sinne
+ That prudent prince, King Edward, away,
+ Then bloudy Bonner did begin
+ His raging mallice to bewray;
+ All those that did the Gospell professe 5
+ He persecuted more or lesse.
+
+ Thus, when the Lord on us did lower,
+ Many in pryson did he throw,
+ Tormenting them in Lollards tower,[L9]
+ Whereby they might the trueth forgoe: 10
+ Then Cranmer, Ridley, and the rest,
+ Were burnt in fire, that Christ profest.
+
+ Smithfield was then with faggots fild,
+ And many places more beside;
+ At Coventry was Sanders kild, 15
+ At Glocester eke good Hooper dyde;
+ And to escape this bloudy day,
+ Beyond-seas many fled away.
+
+ Among the rest that sought reliefe
+ And for their faith in daunger stood, 20
+ Lady Elizabeth was chiefe,
+ King Henries daughter of royall blood;
+ Which in the Tower prisoner did lie,
+ Looking each day when she should die.
+
+ The Dutchesse of Suffolke, seeing this, 25
+ Whose life likewise the tyrant sought,
+ Who in the hope of heavenly blisse
+ Within God's word her comfort wrought,[L28]
+ For feare of death was faine to flie,
+ And leave her house most secretly. 30
+
+ That for the love of Christ alone,
+ Her lands and goods she left behind,
+ Seeking still for that pretious stone,
+ The worde of trueth, so rare to find:
+ She with her nurse, her husband, and child, 35
+ In poor array their sights beguild.
+
+ Thus through London they passed along,
+ Each one did passe a severall streete;
+ Thus all unknowne, escaping wrong,
+ At Billings-gate they all did meete: 40
+ Like people poore, in Gravesend barge,
+ They simply went with all their charge.
+
+ And all along from Gravesend towne
+ With easie journeyes on foote they went;
+ Unto the sea-coast they came downe, 45
+ To passe the seas was their intent;
+ And God provided so that day,
+ That they tooke shippe and sayld away.
+
+ And with a prosperous gale of wind
+ In Flanders safe they did arive; 50
+ This was to their great ease of minde,
+ Which from their hearts much woe did drive;
+ And so with thanks to God on hie,
+ They tooke their way to Germanie.
+
+ Thus as they traveld, thus disguisde, 55
+ Upon the high way sodainely
+ By cruell theeves they were surprisde,
+ Assaulting their small companie;
+ And all their treasure and their store
+ They tooke away, and beate them sore. 60
+
+ The nurse in middest of their fight
+ Laid downe the child upon the ground;
+ She ran away out of their sight,
+ And never after that was found:
+ Then did the Dutchesse make great mone 65
+ With her good husband all alone.
+
+ The theeves had there their horses kilde,
+ And all their money quite had tooke;
+ The pretty babie, almost spild,
+ Was by their nurse likewise forsooke, 70
+ And they farre from their friends did stand,
+ All succourlesse in a strange land.
+
+ The skies likewise began to scowle;
+ It hayld and raind in pittious sort;
+ The way was long and wonderous foule; 75
+ Then may I now full well report
+ Their griefe and sorrow was not small,
+ When this unhappy chaunce did fall.
+
+ Sometime the Dutchesse bore the child,
+ As wet as ever she could be, 80
+ And when the lady kind and mild
+ Was wearie, then the child bore hee;
+ And thus they one another easde,
+ And with their fortunes were well pleasde.
+
+ And after many wearied steppes, 85
+ All wet-shod both in durt and myre,
+ After much griefe, their hearts yet leapes,
+ (For labour doth some rest require);
+ A towne before them they did see,
+ But lodgd therein they could not bee. 90
+
+ From house to house they both did goe,
+ Seeking where they that night might lie,
+ But want of money was their woe,
+ And still the babe with cold did crie;
+ With capp and knee they courtsey make, 95
+ But none on them would pittie take.
+
+ Loe here a princesse of great blood
+ Did pray a peasant for reliefe,
+ With tears bedewed as she stood!
+ Yet few or none regardes her griefe; 100
+ Her speech they could not understand,
+ But gave her a pennie in her hand.
+
+ When all in vaine the paines was spent,
+ And that they could not house-roome get,
+ Into a church-porch then they went, 105
+ To stand out of the raine and wet:
+ Then said the Dutchesse to her deare,
+ "O that we had some fier heere!"
+
+ Then did her husband so provide
+ That fire and coales he got with speede; 110
+ She sate downe by the fiers side,
+ To dresse her daughter, that had neede;
+ And while she drest it in her lapp,
+ Her husband made the infant papp.
+
+ Anone the sexton thither came, 115
+ And finding them there by the fire,
+ The drunken knave, all voyde of shame,
+ To drive them out was his desire:
+ And spurning forth this noble dame,
+ Her husbands wrath it did inflame. 120
+
+ And all in furie as he stood,
+ He wroung the church-keies out of his hand,
+ And strooke him so, that all of blood
+ His head ran downe where he did stand;
+ Wherefor the sexton presently 125
+ For helpe and ayde aloude did cry.
+
+ Then came the officers in hast,
+ And tooke the Dutchesse and her child,
+ And with her husband thus they past,
+ Like lambes beset with tygers wild, 130
+ And to the governour were they brought,
+ Who understood them not in ought.
+
+ Then Maister Bartue, brave and bold,
+ In Latine made a gallant speech,
+ Which all their miserie did unfold, 135
+ And their high favour did beseech:
+ With that, a doctor sitting by
+ Did know the Dutchesse presently.
+
+ And thereupon arising straight,
+ With minde abashed at their sight, 140
+ Unto them all that there did waight,
+ He thus brake forth, in wordes aright:
+ "Behold within your sight," quoth hee,
+ "A princesse of most high degree."
+
+ With that the governour and the rest 145
+ Were all amazde the same to heare,
+ And welcomméd these new-come guestes
+ With reverence great and princely cheare;
+ And afterward conveyd they were
+ Unto their friend Prince Cassemere. 150
+
+ A sonne she had in Germanie,
+ Peregrine Bartue cald by name,
+ Surnamde The Good Lord Willobie,
+ Of courage great and worthie fame.
+ Her daughter young, which with her went, 155
+ Was afterward Countesse of Kent.
+
+ For when Queene Mary was deceast,
+ The Dutchesse home returnde againe,
+ Who was of sorrow quite releast
+ By Queene Elizabeth's happie raigne: 160
+ For whose life and prosperitie
+ We may prayse God continually.
+
+9. There is said to be a place so called in the archiepiscopal palace at
+Lambeth.
+
+28. _So_, C. G. G. R., for which in.
+
+
+
+
+THE LIFE AND DEATH OF FAMOUS THO. STUKELY, AN ENGLISH GALLANT IN THE
+TIME OF QUEENE ELIZABETH, WHO ENDED HIS DAYES IN A BATTAILE OF KINGS
+IN BARBARIE.
+
+
+Thomas Stuckley, says Fuller, "was a younger brother, of an ancient,
+wealthy, and worshipful family, nigh Ilfracombe in this county
+[Devon], being one of good parts; but valued the less by others,
+because overprized by himself. Having prodigally mis-spent his
+patrimony, he entered on several projects (the issue general of all
+decayed estates); and first pitched on the peopling of Florida, then
+newly found out, in the West Indies. So confident his ambition, that
+he blushed not to tell Queen Elizabeth, 'that he preferred rather to
+be sovereign of a mole-hill, than the highest subject to the greatest
+king in Christendom;' adding, moreover, 'that he was assured he should
+be a prince before his death.' 'I hope,' said Queen Elizabeth, 'I
+shall hear from you, when you are stated in your principality.' 'I
+will write unto you,' quoth Stuckley. 'In what language?' said the
+Queen. He returned, 'In the style of princes: To our dear sister.'
+
+"His fair project of Florida being blasted for lack of money to pursue
+it, he went over into Ireland, where he was frustrated of the
+preferment he expected, and met such physic that turned his fever into
+frenzy; for hereafter resolving treacherously to attempt what he
+could not loyally achieve, he went over into Italy.
+
+"It is incredible how quickly he wrought himself through the notice
+into the favour, through the court into the chamber, yea closet, yea
+bosom of Pope Pius Quintus; so that some wise men thought his Holiness
+did forfeit a parcel of his infallibility in giving credit to such a
+_glorioso_, vaunting that with three thousand soldiers he would beat
+all the English out of Ireland.
+
+"The Pope finding it cheaper to fill Stuckley's swelling sails with
+airy titles than real gifts, created him Baron of Ross, Viscount
+Murrough, Earl of Wexford, Marquis of Leinster; and then furnished
+this title-top-heavy general with eight hundred soldiers, paid by the
+King of Spain, for the Irish expedition.
+
+"In passage thereunto, Stuckley lands at Portugal, just when
+Sebastian, the king thereof, with two Moorish kings, were undertaking
+a voyage into Africa. Stuckley, scorning to attend, is persuaded to
+accompany them. Some thought he wholly quitted his Irish design,
+partly because loath to be pent up in an island (the continent of
+Africa affording more elbow-room for his achievements); partly because
+so mutable his mind, he ever loved the last project (as mothers the
+youngest child) best. Others conceive he took this African in order to
+his Irish design; such his confidence of conquest, that his breakfast
+on the Turks would the better enable him to dine on the English in
+Ireland.
+
+"Landing in Africa, Stuckley gave council which was safe, seasonable,
+and necessary; namely, that for two or three days they should refresh
+their land soldiers; whereof some were sick, and some were weak, by
+reason of their tempestuous passage. This would not be heard; so
+furious was Don Sebastian to engage; as if he would pluck up the bays
+of victory out of the ground, before they were grown up; and so, in
+the battle of Alcaser, their army was wholly defeated: where Stuckley
+lost his life.
+
+ 'A fatal fight, where in one day was slain,
+ Three kings that were, and one that would be fain!'
+
+"This battle was fought anno 1578, where Stuckley, with his eight
+hundred men, behaved himself most valiantly, till overpowered with
+multitude." _Worthies of England_, by Nuttall, i. 414.
+
+Mr. Dyce, in his prefatory note to Peele's _Battle of Alcazar_, having
+cited the above extract with several poetical notices of Stukeley,
+mentions another play founded on this adventurer's exploits (_The
+Famous Historye of the Life and Death of Captaine Thomas Stukely_),
+acted in 1596, and printed in 1605 (Peele's _Works_, ii. 85).
+
+The ballad is from _The Crown-Garland of Golden Roses_ (Percy Society,
+vol. vi.) p. 33. There are some verses on Stukeley's projected voyage
+to Florida in Mr. Collier's _Old Ballads_, in the first volume of the
+Percy Society, p. 73.
+
+ In the west of England
+ Borne there was, I understand,
+ A famous gallant in his dayes,
+ By birth a wealthy clothier's sonne;
+ Deeds of wonder he hath done, 5
+ To purchase him a long and lasting praise.
+
+ If I should tell his story,
+ Pride was all his glory,
+ And lusty Stukely he was call'd in court;
+ He serv'd a bishop of the west, 10
+ And did accompany the best,
+ Maintaining still himselfe in gallant sort.
+
+ Being thus esteemed,
+ And every where well deemed,
+ He gain'd the favour of a London dame, 15
+ Daughter to an alderman,
+ Curtis he was called then,
+ To whom a sutor gallantly he came.
+
+ When she his person spied,
+ He could not be denied, 20
+ So brave a gentleman he was to see;
+ She was quickly made his wife,
+ In weale or woe to lead her life,
+ Her father willingly did so agree.
+
+ Thus, in state and pleasure, 25
+ Full many daies they measure;
+ Till cruell death, with his regardles spight,
+ Bore old Curtis to his grave,
+ A thing which Stukely wisht to have,
+ That he might revell all in gold so bright. 30
+
+ He was no sooner tombed,
+ But Stukely presumed
+ To spend a hundred pound that day in waste:
+ The bravest gallants of the land
+ Had Stukelies purse at their command; 35
+ Thus merrily the time away he pass'd.
+
+ Taverns and ordinaries
+ Were his cheefest braveries,[L38]
+ Goulden angells flew there up and downe;
+ Riots were his best delight,[L40] 40
+ With stately feastings day and night;
+ In court and citty thus he won renowne.
+
+ Thus wasting land and living
+ By this lawlesse giving,
+ At last he sold the pavements of his yard, 45
+ Which covered were with blocks of tin;
+ Old Curtis left the same to him,
+ Which he consumed vainely, as you heard.
+
+ Whereat his wife sore greeved,
+ Desir'd to be releeved; 50
+ "Make much of me, dear husband," she did say:
+ "I'll make much more of thee," quoth he,
+ "Than any one shall, verily:
+ I'll sell thy clothes, and so will go away."
+
+ Cruelly thus hearted, 55
+ Away from her he parted,
+ And travelled into Italy with speed:
+ There he flourisht many a day
+ In his silkes and rich array,
+ And did the pleasures of a lady feed. 60
+
+ It was the ladies pleasure
+ To give him gold and treasure,
+ And to maintaine him in great pomp and fame;
+ At last came newes assuredly
+ Of a battaile fought in Barbary, 65
+ And he would valiantly go see the same.
+
+ Many a noble gallant
+ Sold both land and talent
+ To follow Stukely in this famous fight;
+ Whereas three kings in person would 70
+ Adventurously, with courage bould,
+ Within the battaile shew themselves in sight.[L72]
+
+ Stukely and his followers all,
+ Of the king of Portugall
+ Had entertainement like to gentlemen: 75
+ The king affected Stukely so,
+ That he his secrets all did know,
+ And bore his royall standard now and then.
+
+ Upon this day of honour
+ Each king did shew his banner; 80
+ Morocco, and the King of Barbery,
+ Portugall, with all his train,
+ Bravely glister'd in the plain,
+ And gave the onset there most valiantly.
+
+ The cannons they resounded, 85
+ Thund'ring drums rebounded,
+ "Kill, kill!" as then was all the soldiers cry;
+ Mangled men lay on the ground,
+ And with blood the earth was dround,
+ The sun was likewise darken'd in the skye. 90
+
+ Heaven was sore displeased,
+ And would not be appeased,
+ But tokens of God's heavy wrath did show
+ That he was angry at this war;
+ He sent a fearfull blazing star, 95
+ Whereby these kings might their misfortunes know.
+
+ Bloody was this slaughter,
+ Or rather wilfull murther,
+ Where six score thousand fighting men were slain;
+ Three kings within this battaile died, 100
+ With forty dukes and earles beside,
+ The like will never more be fought again.
+
+ With woful armes enfoulding,
+ Stukely stood beholding
+ This bloody sacrifice of soules that day: 105
+ He, sighing, said, "I, wofull wight,
+ Against my conscience heere did fight,
+ And brought my followers all unto decay."
+
+ Being thus molested,
+ And with greefes oppressed, 110
+ Those brave Italians that did sell their lands,
+ With Stukely thus to travel forth,
+ And venture life for little worth,
+ Upon him all did lay their murthering hands.
+
+ Unto death thus wounded, 115
+ His heart with sorrow swounded,
+ And to them all he made this heavy mone:
+ "Thus have I left my country deere,
+ To be so vilely murthered heere,
+ Even in this place whereas I am not known. 120
+
+ "My life I have much wronged;
+ Of what to her belonged
+ I vainely spent in idle course of life.
+ What I have done is past, I see,
+ And bringeth nought but greef to me, 125
+ Therefore grant now thy pardon, gentle wife!
+
+ "Life, I see, consumeth,
+ And death, I feel, presumeth
+ To change this life of mine into a new:
+ Yet this me greatest comfort brings, 130
+ I liv'd and died in love of kings,
+ And so brave Stukely bids the world adew."
+
+ Stukelys life thus ended,
+ Was after death befrended,
+ And like a soldier buried gallantly; 135
+ Where now there stands upon his grave
+ A stately temple, builded brave,
+ With golden turrets piercing in the skye.
+
+38, 40 where.
+
+72. fight.
+
+
+
+
+LORD DELAWARE.
+
+
+No plausible foundation for this ballad has as yet been found in
+history. It has been suggested that Delaware is a corruption of De la
+Mare, a speaker of the House of Commons, and a great advocate of
+popular rights, in the reign of Edward the Third! But there is no
+accounting for the Dutch lord and the Welsh Duke of Devonshire on this
+or any other supposition.
+
+The ballad is given from Lyle's _Ancient Ballads and Songs_, p. 135,
+as "noted down from the singing of a gentleman," and then "remodelled
+and smoothed down" by the editor. The same copy is printed in Dixon's
+_Ancient Poems, Ballads and Songs_ (Percy Society, vol. xvii.), p. 80,
+and in Bell's volume with the same title, p. 66.
+
+ In the Parliament House,
+ A great rout has been there,
+ Betwixt our good king
+ And the Lord Delaware:
+ Says Lord Delaware 5
+ To his Majesty full soon,
+ "Will it please you, my Liege,
+ To grant me a boon?"
+
+ "What's your boon?" says the King,
+ "Now let me understand." 10
+ "It's, give me all the poor men
+ We've starving in this land;
+ And without delay, I'll hie me
+ To Lincolnshire,
+ To sow hemp-seed and flax-seed, 15
+ And hang them all there.
+
+ "For with hempen cord it's better
+ To stop each poor man's breath,
+ Than with famine you should see
+ Your subjects starve to death." 20
+ Up starts a Dutch lord,
+ Who to Delaware did say,
+ "Thou deservest to be stabb'd!"
+ Then he turned himself away:
+
+ "Thou deservest to be stabb'd, 25
+ And the dogs have thine ears,
+ For insulting our king
+ In this parliament of peers."
+ Up sprang a Welsh lord,
+ The brave Duke of Devonshire, 30
+ "In young Delaware's defence, I'll fight
+ This Dutch lord, my Sire.
+
+ "For he is in the right,
+ And I'll make it so appear:
+ Him I dare to single combat, 35
+ For insulting Delaware."
+ A stage was soon erected,
+ And to combat they went,
+ For to kill, or to be kill'd,
+ It was either's full intent. 40
+
+ But the very first flourish,
+ When the heralds gave command,
+ The sword of brave Devonshire
+ Bent backward on his hand;
+ In suspense he paused awhile, 45
+ Scann'd his foe before he strake,
+ Then against the king's armour,
+ His bent sword he brake.
+
+ Then he sprang from the stage,
+ To a soldier in the ring, 50
+ Saying, "Lend your sword, that to an end
+ This tragedy we bring:
+ Though he's fighting me in armour,
+ While I am fighting bare,
+ Even more than this I'd venture 55
+ For young Lord Delaware."
+
+ Leaping back on the stage,
+ Sword to buckler now resounds,
+ Till he left the Dutch lord
+ A bleeding in his wounds: 60
+ This seeing, cries the King
+ To his guards without delay,
+ "Call Devonshire down,--
+ Take the dead man away!"
+
+ "No," says brave Devonshire, 65
+ "I've fought him as a man;
+ Since he's dead, I will keep
+ The trophies I have won.
+ For he fought me in your armour,
+ While I fought him bare, 70
+ And the same you must win back, my Liege,
+ If ever you them wear."
+
+ God bless the Church of England,
+ May it prosper on each hand,
+ And also every poor man 75
+ Now starving in this land;
+ And while I pray success may crown
+ Our king upon his throne,
+ I'll wish that every poor man
+ May long enjoy his own. 80
+
+
+
+
+THE BATTLE OF HARLAW. (See p. 180.)
+
+Traditionary Version, from Aytoun's _Scottish Ballads_, i. 75.
+
+
+"I am indebted to the kindness of Lady John Scott for the following
+extremely spirited ballad, which was taken down some years ago in
+Aberdeenshire, where it is still very popular. It is sung to a
+beautiful air, with the following refrain to each stanza:--
+
+ "_Wi' a drie, drie, dredidronilie drie._"
+
+ As I cam in by Garioch land,
+ And doun by Netherha',
+ There was fifty thousand Hielandmen,
+ A' marching to Harlaw.
+
+ As I cam on, and further on, 5
+ And doun and by Balquhaim,
+ O there I met Sir James the Ross,
+ Wi' him Sir John the Græme.
+
+ "O cam ye frae the Highlands, man?
+ O cam ye a' the way? 10
+ Saw ye Mac Donnell and his men,
+ As they cam frae the Skye?"
+
+ "Yes, we cam frae the Highlands, man,
+ And we cam a' the way,
+ And we saw Mac Donnell and his men, 15
+ As they cam in frae Skye."
+
+ "O was ye near Mac Donnell's men?
+ Did ye their number see?
+ Come, tell to me, John Hielandman,
+ What might their numbers be?" 20
+
+ "Yes, we was near, and near eneugh,
+ And we their number saw;
+ There was fifty thousand Hielandmen,
+ A' marching to Harlaw."
+
+ "Gin that be true," said James the Ross, 25
+ "We'll no come meikle speed;
+ We'll cry upon our merry men,
+ And turn our horses' head."
+
+ "O na, O na!" says John the Græme,
+ "That thing maun never be; 30
+ The gallant Græmes were never beat,
+ We'll try what we can dee."
+
+ As I cam on, and further on,
+ And doun and by Harlaw,
+ They fell fu' close on ilka side, 35
+ Sic straiks ye never saw.
+
+ They fell fu' close on ilka side,
+ Sic straiks ye never saw;
+ For ilka sword gaed clash for clash,
+ At the battle o' Harlaw. 40
+
+ The Hielandmen wi' their lang swords,
+ They laid on as fu' sair,
+ And they drave back our merry men,
+ Three acres breadth and mair.
+
+ Brave Forbés to his brother did say, 45
+ "O brother, dinna ye see?
+ They beat us back on ilka side,
+ And we'll be forced to flee."
+
+ "O na! O na! my brother dear,
+ O na! that mauna be! 50
+ You'll tak your gude sword in your hand,
+ And ye'll gang in wi' me."
+
+ Then back to back the brothers brave
+ Gaed in amang the thrang,
+ And they swept doun the Hielandmen, 55
+ Wi' swords baith sharp and lang.
+
+ The first ae straik that Forbés strack,
+ He gar'd Mac Donnell reel;
+ And the neist ae straik that Forbés strack,
+ The brave Mac Donnell fell. 60
+
+ And siccan a Pitlarichie
+ I'm sure ye never saw,
+ As was amang the Hielandmen,
+ When they saw Mac Donnell fa'.
+
+ And when they saw that he was dead, 65
+ They turn'd and ran awa',
+ And they buried him in Legate's Den,
+ A large mile frae Harlaw.
+
+ Some rade, some ran, and some did gang,
+ They were o' sma' record, 70
+ But Forbés and his merry men
+ They slew them a' the road.
+
+ On Mononday at morning,
+ The battle it began;
+ On Saturday at gloamin', 75
+ Ye'd scarce ken'd wha had wan.
+
+ And sic a weary buryin'
+ I'm sure ye never saw,
+ As was the Sunday after that,
+ On the muirs aneath Harlaw. 80
+
+ Gin onybody speer at ye
+ For them we took awa',
+ Ye may tell them plain, and very plain,
+ They're sleeping at Harlaw.
+
+
+
+
+GLOSSARY.
+
+[right pointing hand]Figures placed after words denote the pages in
+which they occur.
+
+
+ a, _of_.
+
+ abien, aboun, _above_.
+
+ aboyding, _abiding_.
+
+ accompany, 308, _keep the company of_.
+
+ ae, _one_.
+
+ affected, _enamored_.
+
+ all and sum, _all and several_, _one and all_.
+
+ allangst, 182, _along_.
+
+ ancyents, 63, _ensigns_.
+
+ anent, _over against_.
+
+ aneughe, _enough_.
+
+ aras, _arrows_.
+
+ arminge-sword, _a two-handed sword_.
+
+ austerne, 99, _austere_.
+
+ avowe, _vow_.
+
+ awin, _own_.
+
+
+ bade, _abode_.
+
+ bald, _bold_.
+
+ bale, _sorrow_;
+ ballys bete, 42, _better_, _amend_, _our evils_.
+
+ bandoun, _command_, _orders_.
+
+ banket, _banquet_.
+
+ barne, (A. Sax. _beorn_,) _chief_, _man_.
+
+ basnites, bassonetts, _helmets_.
+
+ battellis, 225, _divisions of the army_, or, _the armies_.
+
+ be, _by_, _at_, _by the time that_.
+
+ bearing arrow, 65, "an arrow that carries well:" Percy, who also suggests
+ birring, i.e. _whirring_, _whizzing_.
+ See Boucher's _Glossary_.
+
+ bed, 224, 229, _abode_, _remained_.
+
+ bedeen, 265, _in numbers_, _one after another_?
+
+ beild, _shelter_;
+ 224, _position of safety_.
+
+ ben, _in_.
+
+ bende-bow, _bent bow_.
+
+ bended, 182, _bounded_?
+
+ bent, _coarse grass_, _ground on which this grass grows_, _field_.
+
+ berne (A. Sax. _beorn_), _chief_, _man_.
+
+ ber, _bare_.
+
+ beth, 98, _is_.
+
+ be-west, _to the west of_.
+
+ biggingis, _buildings_.
+
+ bille, see sworne.
+
+ billie, _comrade_.
+
+ bla', _blow_.
+
+ blaithe, _blithe_.
+
+ blan, blane, _ceased_, _stopped_.
+
+ blate, _silly_, _stupid_.
+
+ bleid, _blood_.
+
+ bodward, 182, _message_.
+
+ borrowe, _security_, _hostage_, _ransom_;
+ borowed, 18, _ransomed_.
+
+ bouk, _body_, _carcase_.
+
+ bowne, bowyn, _ready_, _prepared_;
+ 235, _going_;
+ bound, bowynd, 19, 5, 6, _made ready_, _went_.
+
+ brace, 260, same as breeze, _hurry_?
+
+ bracken, braken, _fern_.
+
+ brae, _side of a hill_.
+
+ braid, _broad_.
+
+ bra'ly, _bravely_.
+
+ branken, branking, _prancing_, _capering_.
+
+ braveries, _displays_.
+
+ braw, _brave_, _handsome_.
+
+ bread, 59, _breadth_;
+ bred, _broad_.
+
+ breeks, _breeches_.
+
+ brent, _burned_.
+
+ brim, _fierce_.
+
+ bronde, _brand_, _sword_.
+
+ brook, _enjoy_;
+ 186, _take_ (_possession of_).
+
+ brose, 261, _pottage_.
+
+ brouine, brown, _brewed_.
+
+ broust, _brewage_.
+
+ bruch, brugh, _burgh_, _city_.
+
+ bryttlynge, _cutting up_ (_of game_.)
+
+ buft, _buffeted_, _beat_.
+
+ burd-alone, _alone_.
+
+ burn, _brook_.
+
+ but, _without_, 221;
+ but bed, _before we sleep_.
+
+ butter-box, 154, "Dutchmen." Ritson.
+
+ byckarte, 30, _moved quickly, rattling their weapons_.
+
+ byddys, _abides_.
+
+ byears, _biers_.
+
+ byll, _halbert_, _battle-axe_.
+
+
+ ca', _call_;
+ 265, _drive_, _beat_.
+
+ caliver, 116, _large pistol_, or _blunderbuss_.
+
+ can, could, used as auxiliaries to form the past tenses.
+
+ canty, _merry_.
+
+ carefull, _anxious_.
+
+ carpe, _tell_, _discourse_.
+
+ cast, _propose_, _intend_.
+
+ cawte, _cautious_.
+
+ chafts, _chaps_.
+
+ chess, _chace_.
+
+ chessit, _chased_.
+
+ cheverons, _gloves_.
+
+ christiantè, _Christendom_.
+
+ claw, _scratch_, _fight_.
+
+ clinkum clankum, a phrase for _smart blows_.
+
+ cogue, _wooden pail_.
+
+ cold bee, 100, _was_;
+ see can.
+
+ collayne, _Cologne_, i. e. _steel, or manufacture_:
+ see i. 357.
+
+ cor, core, _corps_.
+
+ corpes, 287, _living body_.
+
+ cors, _curse_.
+
+ corynoch, _lamentation for the dead_.
+
+ cowde dye, 16, _did die_;
+ see can.
+
+ crouse, 169, _brisk_, _brave_.
+
+ crowdie, _gruel_, _porridge_.
+
+ cryand, _crying_.
+
+
+ daft, _mad_.
+
+ dandering, _an epithet expressing the noise of drums_, like tantara,
+ p. 124.
+
+ de, _die_;
+ deid, dead, _death_.
+
+ decay, _destruction_, _death_.
+
+ dee, _do_.
+
+ deemedst, _doomedst_.
+
+ demean, _punish_, _put down_.
+
+ deputed, 103, used of a fugitive _carried back for trial_.
+
+ diel, _devil_.
+
+ dight, dicht;
+ 61, _furnished_;
+ 37, 189, to deth, "_done_," _wounded_;
+ 22, _dispose of_, _handle_, _encounter_.
+
+ ding, pr. dung, _strike_, _knock_, _beat_, _overcome_.
+
+ dinne, _noise_.
+
+ discord, _quarrel_.
+
+ doghtie, _doughty_.
+
+ door, 154? dorlach, which Jamieson says is a short-sword, means a
+ _wallet_.
+
+ douted, _redoubtable_, _feared_.
+
+ doutsum, _doubtful_.
+
+ drede, _doubt_.
+
+ dre, drye, _endure_, _bear_;
+ drie, 98, as noun, _suffering_.
+
+ dulesum, _doleful_.
+
+ dunted, _beat_.
+
+ durk, _dirk_.
+
+ dyne, garre, 10, _give one his fill of fighting_.
+
+ dyne, 228, _valley_.
+
+ dynte, _blow_, _stroke_.
+
+
+ eathe, _easy_.
+
+ ee, _eye_.
+
+ edicang, _aide-de-camp_.
+
+ eme, _uncle_.
+
+ endlongis, _along_.
+
+ enewch, _enough_.
+
+ ensenzie, enzie, _ensign_.
+
+ envye (to do), _ill-will_, _injury_.
+
+ ewill, 229; qy, eve, or vigil?
+
+
+ fa', _fall_;
+ 162, _share_, _portion_.
+
+ fach, _fetch_.
+
+ fallows, _fellows_, _equals_.
+
+ fare, _go_.
+
+ fay, 219, _on the verge of death_, _doomed_.
+
+ fayne, _glad_.
+
+ feale, _fail_.
+
+ fearit, _feared_.
+
+ fecht, _fight_.
+
+ fee, _property_, _reward_.
+
+ feck, maist, _greatest part_.
+
+ feid, _feud_, _enmity_.
+
+ feingit, _feigned_.
+
+ feirdness, _cowardice_.
+
+ fell, _hide_.
+
+ fells, _hills_, also, _moors_.
+
+ fend, _keep_, _support_.
+
+ fett, _fetched_.
+
+ fiery-fairy, _confusion and consternation_.
+
+ filabeg, _kilt, or short petticoat, worn by Highlanders instead of
+ breeches_.
+
+ firstin, _first_.
+
+ fit, _song_, _division of a song_, _story_.
+
+ flegs, _frights_.
+
+ flinders, _fragments_.
+
+ flyte, _scold_, _remonstrate_;
+ 95, _rally_.
+
+ forder, _further_.
+
+ forefend, _forbid_.
+
+ forgatherit, _met together_.
+
+ forwarde, _van_.
+
+ fou, _full_.
+
+ fourugh, see furich.
+
+ frame, 133, _succeed_.
+
+ freck, freke, freyke (A. S. _one who is bold_) _warrior_, _man_.
+
+ fun', _found_.
+
+ furich, furichinish, Gaelic;
+ fuirich means _wait_, _stop_;
+ fearach is an old Irish warcry. "Fy, furich, Whigs, awa'!" was a
+ Jacobite pipe air, says Chambers.
+
+ free, frie, _noble_;
+ 20, of metal, _precious_ (?)
+
+
+ gade, _went_.
+
+ galliards, _quick and lively dances_.
+
+ gare, _gore_.
+ See Glossary to vol. 2.
+
+ garre, _make_;
+ gart, _garde_, _made_.
+
+ gate, _way_.
+
+ geed, _went_.
+
+ geere, 64, _business_, _affair_.
+
+ gettyng, 9, _plunder_.
+
+ gled, _gladden_.
+
+ glede, _live coal_.
+
+ glent, _glanced_, _passed swiftly_.
+
+ gloamin', _dusk_, _night-fall_.
+
+ glove, 121; to claim a glove worn as a lady's favor, was a form of
+ challenge,--which is perhaps the reference here.
+
+ graif, _grave_.
+
+ graithed, grathed, _prepared_, _dressed_, _armed_;
+ 183, _laid_, or _laid out_.
+
+ gree, bear the, _bore the palm_.
+
+ gresse, _grass_.
+
+ grevis, _groves_, _bushes_.
+
+ grite, _weep_.
+
+ grysely, _dreadfully_.
+
+ guide, _good_.
+
+
+ habershoune, _coat of mail_.
+
+ hach-borde, 60, 63, 68, (MS. has in one place, "archborde,") seems to be
+ used for the _side of the ship_.
+
+ hached, _inlaid_ or _gilded_.
+
+ hagbutis, _a kind of muskets_.
+
+ halched, _greeted_.
+
+ hale, _whole_.
+
+ hard, _heard_.
+
+ harneis, _armor_.
+
+ haryed, _plundered_.
+
+ haws, _low grounds on the border of a river_.
+
+ haylde, _hauled_.
+
+ haylle, 10, _healthy_.
+
+ he, _high_.
+
+ heal, _hail_.
+
+ heidit, _beheaded_.
+
+ heidin, _beheading_.
+
+ hernainsell, see note p. 154.
+
+ hich, _high_.
+
+ hight, _promise_, _be called_.
+
+ hinde, _gentle_.
+
+ hing, _hang_.
+
+ his, _has_.
+
+ Hogan Dutch, 155?
+
+ holtes, 8, _woods_.
+
+ hoved, 9, _hovered_, _hung about_, _tarried_.
+
+ howe, _hollow_, _valley_.
+
+ husbonds, _husbandmen_.
+
+ hye, hyght, (on,) _on high_, _aloud_.
+
+ hyght, _promised_.
+
+
+ ilk, ilkay, _each_.
+
+ into, _in_.
+
+ is, _has_.
+
+ i-wis, _certainly_.
+
+
+ jack, _a coat of mail_, _a leather jacket_.
+
+ jouk, _avoid a blow by bending the body forward_.
+
+
+ kain, 180, _rent paid in kind_;
+ here, paid the kain is _suffered sorely_.
+
+ kaithe, _appear_, _come_.
+
+ ken, _know_;
+ kenna, _know not_.
+
+ kindly, 23, _native born_.
+
+ kith, _acquaintance_.
+
+ kittle flaws, _variable winds_, i.e. not to be depended on for courage.
+
+ knop, _knob_.
+
+ knowe, _knoll_.
+
+
+ lair, 239, _place where they were lying_.
+
+ lang, _long_.
+
+ lap, _leapt_.
+
+ layne, _deceive_;
+ 13, _break word_.
+
+ leaguer, _camp_.
+
+ leath, _loath_.
+
+ leeve, _dear_, _pleasant_;
+ lever, _rather_.
+
+ lesse, 10, _lying_.
+
+ let, _prevent_.
+
+ lift, _air_.
+
+ lifting, _stealing_.
+
+ liges, _lieges_.
+
+ liklie, _handsome_, _promising_.
+
+ lilye, 23, lilly, 179, _covered with lilies_?
+
+ lilting, _singing cheerfully_.
+
+ linking, _walking quickly_.
+
+ list, _please_.
+
+ lithe, _list_.
+
+ liverance, 95, "_money for delivering up._" Percy.
+
+ logeying, _lodging_.
+
+ lope, _leapt_.
+
+ lucetts, 14, _luces_, _pikes_.
+
+ lurdane, _a heavy, stupid fellow_.
+
+ luves, _palms_, _hands_.
+
+
+ maker, makys, _mates_.
+
+ march-man, _warden of the Marches_.
+
+ march-perti, 40, _the Border parts or region_.
+
+ marke hym to the Trenité, 13, _commit himself to God by making the sign
+ of the cross_? marked, 14, _fixed their eyes on_, _took aim at_?
+
+ maugre, _spite_.
+
+ may, _maid_.
+
+ meany, _company_.
+
+ merchand, _marching_.
+
+ mickle, _great_.
+
+ mind, _remember_.
+
+ miss, 264, _evil_, _fault_, _trouble_.
+
+ moe, moo, _more_, _greater_.
+
+ mome, _fool_.
+
+ mort, _death_ (_of the deer_.)
+
+ mowes, mowis, (_mouths_,) _joke_.
+
+ muir, _moor_.
+
+ mykel, _great_.
+
+ myllàn, 36, _Milan_, i. e. _steel or manufacture_.
+
+ myne-allaine, _alone by myself_.
+
+ myneyeple, 35, _maniple_ (i. e. _many folds_), _a name for a close dress
+ with sleeves worn under the armor_.
+
+
+ nare, _nor_.
+
+ naye, _denial_.
+
+ near, _nearer_.
+
+ neist ae, _next_.
+
+ nixtin, _next_.
+
+ northen, be, _to the north of_.
+
+
+ oh'on a ri, Gaelic, _oh, my heart!_ oh' rig in di, 155?
+
+ one, _on_.
+
+ ones, _once_.
+
+ outrake, 100, _riding out_, _excursion_.
+
+ oware, _hour_.
+
+ owermaskit, _overcast_.
+
+
+ paiks, 154, _drubbing_.
+
+ palione, 222, pallion, _pavilion_, _tent_.
+
+ pall, _a rich cloth_.
+
+ parti, _part_.
+
+ paw, pa', 158, _swift motion_;
+ one's _part_ in a performance, 154;
+ of the _contortions_ of a person hanged, 162;
+ of the _movement of weapons_, 163.
+
+ peart, _pert_.
+
+ perseiued, _pursued_.
+
+ philibeg, _kilt, or short petticoat_, worn by Highlanders instead of
+ breeches.
+
+ Pitlarichie, 319?
+
+ pleadis, _prayers_.
+
+ polititious, _politic_, _ingenious_.
+
+ pompous, 278, _proud_, _magnificent_.
+
+ pra, 173, _brave_, _fine_.
+
+ presumand, _presuming_.
+
+ prycked, _rode_.
+
+ pyght, _pitched_.
+
+
+ quaint, _acquaint_.
+
+ quat, _quit_.
+
+ quhat, &c. _what_, _&c._
+
+ quhill, _while_, _until_.
+
+ quhois, _whose_.
+
+ quite, _quit_.
+
+ quyrry, _quarry_, _slaughtered game_.
+
+ quyt, _paid_, _repaid_.
+
+
+ race, 184, _course_.
+
+ raid, _a predatory incursion_.
+
+ rais, _rose_.
+
+ raking, 242, _running_, _scouring along_.
+
+ rave, _bereave_.
+
+ raw, _row_, _rank_;
+ upo' the raw, _in rank of battle_.
+
+ rax, _reach_, _stretch_;
+ 265, _beat_?
+
+ rear, ride the, 233, _ride behind_, _have the worse_.
+
+ recks, 23, _matters_.
+
+ rede, _advise_;
+ 15, _guessed_.
+
+ red, _rode_.
+
+ Reidswire, see vol. vi. p. 131.
+
+ remeid, _remedy_.
+
+ rent, _rend_.
+
+ rewyth, _regrets_.
+
+ riggings, 154, _backs_?
+
+ rinnes, _runs_.
+
+ rise on anchor, 206?
+
+ roke, _reek_, _steam_.
+
+ rout, _company_, _crowd_.
+
+ rowght, _rout_, _strife_.
+
+ rowynde, _round_.
+
+ rung, _cudgel_;
+ canon's, _figuratively_, _for shot_?
+
+ ryall, _royal_.
+
+ ryght, 7, _straight_.
+
+ rynde, 13, _flayed_? rinde, _to destroy_, Halliwell's _Dict._
+
+
+ saw, _saying_, _statement_.
+
+ say, _saw_.
+
+ say, _assay_.
+
+ sayne, _say_.
+
+ scale, 262, 178, _scatter_, _spread_.
+
+ schapped, 15, apparently should be "swapped;"
+ see _post_.
+
+ schoote, 12, _shot_, _let go_.
+
+ sen, _since_.
+
+ sene, 189, _skilled_, _experienced_.
+
+ shear, 30, 31, _quickly_, _at once_. (?) Halliwell.
+
+ she, used of _Highlanders in general_.
+
+ siccan, _such_.
+
+ sinsyne, _since_.
+
+ sith, _since_.
+
+ skelps, _blows_.
+
+ silver wand, 100?
+
+ slaydis, 228;
+ the passage is corrupt.
+
+ slicht, _slight_.
+
+ sloughe, _slew_.
+
+ smirkling, _smirking_, _smiling_.
+
+ smored, _smothered_.
+
+ snell, 269, _sharp_, _loud_.
+
+ snood, _a band with which a young woman ties up her hair_.
+
+ sould, _should_.
+
+ souters, _cobblers_.
+
+ spear, speir, _ask_.
+
+ spendyd, 96, probably the same as spanned, _grasped_.
+
+ splenderis, _splinters_.
+
+ spole, _shoulder_.
+
+ spuente, 36, _spirited_, _sprung out_.
+
+ spurne, _kick_; 42, _retaliation_?
+
+ stain, _outdo_, _excel_.
+
+ stalwurthlye, _stoutly_, _boldly_.
+
+ stane'd, _stationed_.
+
+ stank, 154, _pool_.
+
+ stead, 65, _place_, _post_.
+
+ stell'd, _placed_.
+
+ stent, _stop_.
+
+ stounde, _time_.
+
+ stour, stowre, (_turmoil of_) _fight_.
+
+ straiks, _strokes_.
+
+ stynttyde, _stopped_.
+
+ styrande, 6, see note: according to Percy's reading, _driving_ the deer
+ _from their retreats_;
+ but adopting Motherwell's, _prancing_, _spirited_.
+
+ suar, 35, 38, _sure_, _trusty_.
+
+ suthe, _true_.
+
+ swakked, 23, swapped, swapte, 15, 24, 36, _struck_, _smote_.
+
+ swat, _sweat_.
+
+ sweirand, _swearing_.
+
+ sworne into my bille, 95, "_I have delivered a promise in writing,
+ confirmed by an oath._" Percy.
+
+ syne, _since_, _then_, _afterward_.
+
+
+ tackes, _takes_.
+
+ tald, 227, _tall_?
+
+ talent, 310, seems to be used for property in general.
+
+ tear, 42, possibly the same as dere, _injury_.
+
+ teene, tene, _injury_.
+
+ tenne, _taken_.
+
+ tent, _heed_.
+
+ the, _thee_, _they_.
+
+ thi, _the_.
+
+ thir, _these_, _those_.
+
+ thought long, _found the time drag_.
+
+ thrang, _throng_.
+
+ thraw, _twist_.
+
+ thrysse, _thrice_.
+
+ thuds, 169, sound of blows, _noises_, _strokes_.
+
+ tinkler, played the, 161, _played the coward_.
+
+ tint, _lost_.
+
+ tockin, _token_.
+
+ ton, tone, the, _the one_.
+
+ tooke, 39; supply an omitted word, as "rest."
+
+ toom, _empty_.
+
+ top-castle, 62, _a kind of turret built round the mast-head_.
+
+ topsail, to cast, _a kind of salute_.
+
+ tre-trip for hay, 131; tray-trip was a _game at dice_.
+
+ tree, 226, _spear-shaft_? _cudgel_?
+
+ trews, 155, _Highland pantaloons_, consisting of breeches and stockings
+ in one piece;
+ here used for Highlanders.
+
+ trone, 143, _pillory_.
+
+ trows, 156, see trews.
+
+ touk, tuick, _beat_.
+
+ tyll, _to_.
+
+ tyne, _lose_.
+
+
+ uds-doyns, an oath.
+
+ uncouth, _unknown_.
+
+ uttermost, _outmost_.
+
+
+ valziant, _valiant_.
+
+ verament, _truly_.
+
+ vow, 169, _exclamation of admiration or surprise_.
+
+ vowit, _vowed_.
+
+
+ wae, _sad_, _sorry_.
+
+ wald, _would_.
+
+ waly, _interjection of lamentation_.
+
+ wane, 36?
+
+ war, _worse_;
+ verb, _to worst_, _overcome_.
+
+ war, _aware_.
+
+ ward, _word_.
+
+ waryson, _reward_.
+
+ wast, _west_.
+
+ wat, _know_.
+
+ weal, 41 (of hands), to _wring_?
+
+ weale, 64, qy, _well_? or _good luck_! The word is probably corrupted.
+
+ weapon-shaw, _inspection of arms_, _military review_.
+
+ wed, _would_.
+
+ wede, 72, _shorn_?
+
+ weir, _war_.
+
+ well, 226, qy. mell, _meddle or fight with_.
+
+ weme, 98, _belly_, _hollow_.
+
+ wend, _go_.
+
+ whigging, _moving fast_, _marching briskly_.
+
+ whilk, _which_.
+
+ whyll, 15, _till_.
+
+ wid, _would_.
+
+ wight, 102, _strong_, _quick_.
+
+ win, _go_, _get_.
+
+ win (hay), _make_, _get in_.
+
+ winna, _will not_.
+
+ wis, 214, _wish_.
+
+ woned unto the dead, 222, qy. vowed? _devoted themselves to death_?
+
+ wood, _mad_, _furious_.
+
+ worried, 270, _choked at_.
+
+ worthe, woe, _woe be to_.
+
+ wouche, _injury_.
+
+ wraithe, _wroth_.
+
+ writhe, _twisted_.
+
+ wyld, 30, seems to be used absolutely for _deer_.
+
+ wynn, (hay), _make_, _get in_.
+
+
+ ychone, _each one_.
+
+ yebent, _bent_.
+
+ yee, _eye_.
+
+ ye-feth, _i-faith_.
+
+ yender, _yonder_.
+
+ yerlle, _earl_.
+
+ yerly, _early_.
+
+ ye'se, _ye shall_.
+
+ yestreen, _yesterday_.
+
+ yill, _ale_.
+
+ yth' _in the_.
+
+
+ zield, _yield_.
+
+ zit, _yet_.
+
+ * * * * *
+
+Transcriber's Notes
+
+Page 39, line 101: changed "strenght" to "strength" (Many hade no
+strength for to stande,)
+
+Page 108: line note anchor moved from line 67 to line 68.
+
+Page 157, line 11: changed "orher" to "order" (Lord Roxburgh was
+there, in order to share)
+
+Page 191, line 9-12: changed indentation of this verse to be
+consistent with the rest of the ballad.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of English and Scottish Ballads, Volume
+VII (of 8), by Various
+
+*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 41044 ***
generated by cgit v1.2.3 (git 2.25.1) at 2026-06-04 10:47:54 +0000