Ballads in Imitation of the Antient | ||
Ballad Of the Death of HOTSPUR PERCY.
The following Ballad is founded on the Battle of Shrewsbury, where Hotspur Percy (so called from the fiery impetuosity of his temper) was defeated and slain, by the forces of King Henry IV. Earl Percy, and several other Nobles who had been accessary to the return of Bolingbroke from banishment, finding that his intent was not only to regain his estates, but depose the rightful King, Richard II. and assume himself the reins of government, formed a league, and declared war against the usurper, which terminated in favor of Bolingbroke, by the failure of this battle. To which rebellion in Richard's favor may also be attributed his murder, which shortly after took place.
I. FIRST PART.
Wherein is displayed the sorrowful parting of the Lady Catherine and her Lord, and how she continued to bewail his unexpected flight from Alnwick-Castle.
Softly stole athwart the sky;
Scarce the rays of early morning
Flush'd the East with saffron die;
Ere the noble Hotspur stirr'd him,
From beside his Catherine bright;
Whither go'st thou, said the Lady,
Whither hies my soul's delight?
“I must quit thee, Lady kind;
“Thou, and all I love so dearly,
“Straightways must I leave behind:
“Weighty matters will my absence,
“Lo, this is th' appointed day;
“Therefore, gentle Lady, weep not,
“Fate so wills, I must obey.”
“Let me, sweet, thy will controul;
“Much I dread thy valiant temper,
“Much I fear thy warlike soul.
“Do not leave this goodly castle,
“Do not quit these turrets fair,
“Do not shun the babe that loves thee,
“Fill not Catherine's heart wtth care.
“Which so long hath swell'd thy breast,
“Which by day hath made thee thoughtful,
“And by night hath broke thy rest.”
“Hist thee, Wife, I love thee dearly;
“English Earl ne'er lov'd so well.”
“If 'tis so, thou'lt not deny me,
“But thy weighty purpose tell.”
Or the weeping Eglantine,
So the gentle loving Lady
Round her Lord her arms did twine:
From her cheek that press'd his bosom
Dropt full many a silent tear,
Which upon his breast-plate falling,
Damp'd the steel that shone so clear.
“Tell me why this show of pain;
“Wherefore should'st thou pine and languish;
“Lo, this flood of grief is vain:
“Though thy sex be made for sorrow,
“In thy breast such woes should sleep;
“Percy's bride should scorn such feelings,
“Hotspur's wife should never weep.”
“All in vain thou tell'st me so,
“For I ne'er can steel this bosom,
“Nor asswage this briny flow.
“Though my Soul's to fear a stranger,
“Yet keen sorrow have I felt;
“Though this heart contemns dread danger,
“Still for thee this heart can melt.”
Quick this valiant Earl did speed,
Straightways to the Court-yard hied him,
Where the groom did tend his steed.
Mounting there his foaming war-horse,
Through fair Alnwick's gates he hied.
“Stay, my Percy, stay my Hotspur,
“Stay, my love,” fair Cath'rine cried.
“Do not, love, deny me this;
“Give thy babe a father's blessing,
“Give thy child a father's kiss.”
Hotspur felt a parent's yearning,
On the babe he cast a look;
Then from off fair Cath'rine's bosom
Straight the gentle infant took.
Bent its gaze devoid of guile;
On the manly front of Hotspur
Sweetly did the infant smile.
“Bless thee, Babe!” cried noble Percy;
“May'st thou one day boast the fire,
“May the blood of antient Percys'
“To great deeds thy soul inspire!”
Oft its cherry mouth he press'd;
Then to weeping Cath'rine gave him,
And the lady thus address'd:
“Should aught ill befall thy Percy,
“Rear our child to deeds of fame;
“Teach him all our kindred's glory,
“Teach him how to bear our name.”
Thrice his plumage fann'd the air;
Sweet he smil'd, his lips unclosing,
Cried “Farewell, my Cath'rine dear.”
Then full speed the courser bore him
Far from Cath'rine's longing eye:
Thus did part this loving Lady
And her gallant Lord Percy.
II. SECOND PART.
Shewing how the loving Dame moaned the loss of her gallant Lord Percy. After which followeth the purpose of the noble Hotspur, with the haughty message sent by him unto King Henry IV.
I shall cause ye mickle woe;
Lady Catherine ye shall pitty,
For the Dame your tears will flow.
Percy fled the heart that lov'd him,
Swift he did his course pursue;
Catherine wail'd her Hotspur's absence,
She had mickle cause to rue.
Moan'd this Lady kind and fair,
“Smile, my babe, Oh! smile my infant,
“Smile, and ease thy Mother's care.”
From the eve till dusky twilight
Did this weeping Lady say
“Ah, my babe thy Sire hath fled us,
“Whither doth my Percy stray!”
Watchful were her eyes so bright;
“Sweetly sleep, my smiling baby,
“Thou alone dost cheer my sight:
“As I trace thine infant features,
“As I trace them line for line,
“Lo, I view my Lord, my husband,
“In that face doth Percy shine.”
Sadly stole the midnight hour,
And at dawn the Lady Cath'rine
Did ymount the high watch-Tower;
Round her blew the winds so bleakly,
Cath'rine swell'd them with a sigh;
“Peace,” she'd say, “my darling infant,”
Then she'd sing the Lullaby.
She would wipe the starting tear,
While tow'rd East and West sad gazing,
Naught was seen her soul to cheer:
Northward lay the Heath so dreary,
Southward wav'd the Forest green,
Ni of footmen, ni of horsemen,
Were there any to be seen.
Naught but birds the dame could see;
“Ah,” quod Cath'rine, “little songsters
“Ye are happier far than me;
“Each can fly to bonny green wood,
“There you'll find your mate so true;
“Wou'd I were but such a songster,
“And my Percy one of you.”
On high deeds his thoughts were bent,
Oft he plann'd the secret purpose,
Oft he con'd the bold intent;
Till at length he gain'd those Nobles,
Who to aid him were allied,
There he found the hardy Douglas,
With full many Chiefs beside.
Till nigh Shrewsb'ry's walls they came:
Thither hied King Henry's army
To destroy rebellion's flame.
Soon the King did send his trumpet
Pardon granting, if in peace
Ev'ry Noble and his follower
Would these civil tumults cease.
“We be honest men and true,
“Bolingbroke's a Traytor leader,
“But his baseness he shall rue.
“Bid him free our captive Richard,
“Bid him yield the crown h'hath ta'en,
“Bid him straight disband his soldiers
“Or we'll strive with might and main.
“Rightful was his claim, I ween,
“Peaceful then his every action,
“Meek and lowly was his mien;
“But by fraud and wily cunning,
“He his monarch did entrap,
“Braggart like, he then deposed him,
“Rueful is the sad mishap.
“Bolingbroke doth wend his way,
“We insure our King's forgiveness,
“If for aye he doth obey:
“But should he, like bold usurper,
“These our wholesome terms deny,
“Then we'll curb the rebel Traytor,
“Or we'll in the just cause die.
Grimly did King Henry frown,
By my say, these hardy rebels,
Soon shall bend hefore my crown.
Quod the King, the western welkin,
Is yclad with gold-ey'd day:
Yet we'll rest the morrow's dawning,
Ere we 'gin the bloody fray.
Earl Douglas was one of the Confederates leagued with Percy to dethrone Henry IV. and reinstate Richard on the throne.
III. THIRD PART.
Declaring how the battail was fought between the King and the Earl nigh unto the walls of Shrewsbury, with fourteen thousand goodly yeomen, on the Eve of the Feast of Saint Mary Magdalen. When Earl Percy was defeated and slain.
To the Nobles thus did say,
Yonder in the Western Welkin,
Slopes the burning eye of day;
Boling broke, that bold usurper,
Doth our wholesome terms defy,
Wherefore should we stay the morrow?
Fate to-day shall cast the die.
'Gainst the fiery Hotspur's will,
Naught avail'd their goodly counsell,
Douglas would the feat fulfill;
Now the sound of neighing horses,
Now the din of warriors brave,
Now the clank of rattling armour,
And the deadly dooming glave.
With their arrows sharp and long,
Now each man his yew ybending,
To the horn doth bind the thong;
Some the axe bear, some the falchion,
Some the shining glave did wield,
Others rear the launce ypointed,
On their arms they brace the shield.
Thus his kindly speech address'd:
“Lo, ye fight for truth and justice,
“If ye die, ye shall be blest.”
Ev'ry captain to his hundred
Straight the cheiftain's words did say,
“Courage horsemen; courage footmen,
“For your King ye fight this day.
“By your arms enthron'd shall be,
“Rather die, my gallant yeomen,
“Never 'fore these traytors flee.
“If the glave of churlish rebels,
“Should be dank'd in blood of life,
“Ye that fall shall live in heav'n,
“Free'd from Traytors, free'd from strife.
Ev'ry man was tough of heart,
From the camp the gallant Hotspur
And his yeomen did depart.
Lo, to meet them, crowned Henry,
With his vassals, a great rout,
With his sons and nobles many,
Lords that were right bold and stout.
Shrilly rung the trumpets blast,
Many brave and hardy warriors,
There I wis did breath their last.
Princes, Nobles, Captains, Yoemen,
Breast to breast their skill 'gan try;
Each alike his foe would conquer,
Each in his own cause would die.
Through the field his course he scour'd,
On his Anlace rode grim terror,
Death his ev'ry foe devour'd;
Mad the hardy Scottish Douglas,
Badg'd with blood, with eye so fierce,
To each Noble bad defiance;
Great and small his glave did pierce.
But brave Hotspur's lack of force
Did to Henry yield the conquest,
And the Percy's life divorce;
There did bleed full many nobles,
There stout gentlemen did die,
There fell yeomen without number,
Jesu take their Souls on high.
Nigh the walls of Shrewsbury,
From the goodly Castle's turrrets
Townsmen did the feat descry;
There did meet of sturdy soldiers
Fourteen thousand good yeomen;
But one half ne'er saw the morrow,
'Twas the feast of Magdalen.
Sorely wept the gentle Dame;
Naught she'd hear of goodly comfort,
Naught she'd sigh but Percy's name,
Frantick thro' each hall and chamber
Did the Lady Catherine cry
“Where's my Lord, my Love, my Husband!
“Give me back my brave Percy.”
Thus she made her plaint in vain;
All her cries then turn'd to sadness,
'Twas her bosom felt the pain.
Sometimes on her infant gazing,
Big would swell her woe-worn heart,
Then she'd sigh “He's dead, my baby:”
In her eye the tear would start.
Drench our land with human gore,
Never may a goodly Lady,
Thus her valiant Knight deplore;
But may Lords and yeomen bravely
Round the board right jovial sing,
Christ for aye in peace preserve us,
And God bless our Royal King.
Ballads in Imitation of the Antient | ||