The English and Scottish Popular Ballads Edited by Francis James Child. |
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 | VI. | Part VI. |
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| VII. |
| VIII. |
| IX. |
 | The English and Scottish Popular Ballads |  |
VI. Part VI.
156
QUEEN ELEANOR'S CONFESSION
258
Queen Eleanor's Confession
QUEEN ELEANOR'S CONFESSION—A
[_]
a. A broadside, London, Printed for C. Bates, at the Sun & Bible in Gilt-spur-street, near Pye-corner, Bagford Ballads, II, No 26, 1685? b. A broadside, Printed for C. Bates, in Pye-corner, Bagford Ballads, I, No 33, 1685? c. Another copy of b, reprinted in Utterson's Little Book of Ballads, p. 22. d. A Collection of Old Ballads, 1723, I, 18.
1
Queen Elenor was a sick woman,And afraid that she should dye;
Then she sent for two fryars of France,
For to speak with them speedily.
2
The King calld down his nobles all,By one, by two, and by three,
And sent away for Earl Martial,
For to speak with him speedily.
3
When that he came before the King,He fell on his bended knee;
‘A boon, a boon! our gracious king,
That you sent so hastily.’
4
‘I'll pawn my living and my lands,My septer and my crown,
That whatever Queen Elenor says,
I will not write it down.
5
‘Do you put on one fryar's coat,And I'll put on another,
And we will to Queen Elenor go,
One fryar like another.’
6
Thus both attired then they go;When they came to Whitehall,
The bells they did ring, and the quiristers sing
And the torches did light them all.
7
When that they came before the Queen,They fell on their bended knee:
259
That you sent so hastily.’
8
‘Are you two fryars of France?’ she said,‘Which I suppose you be;
But if you are two English fryars,
Then hanged shall you be.’
9
‘We are two fryars of France,’ they said,‘As you suppose we be;
We have not been at any mass
Since we came from the sea.’
10
‘The first vile thing that ere I didI will to you unfold;
Earl Martial had my maidenhead,
Underneath this cloath of gold.’
11
‘That is a vile sin,’ then said the king,‘God may forgive it thee!’
‘Amen! Amen!’ quoth Earl Martial,
With a heavy heart then spoke he.
12
‘The next vile thing that ere I didTo you I'll not deny;
I made a box of poyson strong,
To poyson King Henry.’
13
‘That is a vile sin,’ then said the King,‘God may forgive it thee!’
‘Amen! Amen!’ quoth Earl Martial,
‘And I wish it so may be.’
14
‘The next vile thing that ere I didTo you I will discover;
I poysoned Fair Rosamond,
All in fair Woodstock bower.’
15
‘That is a vile sin,’ then said the King,‘God may forgive it thee!’
‘Amen! Amen!’ quoth Earl Martial,
‘And I wish it so may be.’
16
‘Do you see yonders little boy,A tossing of that ball?
That is Earl Martial['s] eldest son,
And I love him the best of all.
17
‘Do you see yonders little boy,A catching of the ball?
That is King Henry's son,’ she said,
‘And I love him the worst of all.
18
‘His head is like unto a bull,His nose is like a boar;’
‘No matter for that,’ King Henry said,
‘I love him the better therefore.’
19
The King pulld of his fryar's coat,And appeard all in red;
She shriekd and she cry'd, she wrong her hands,
And said she was betrayd.
20
The King lookd over his left shoulder,And a grim look looked he,
And said, Earl Martial, but for my oath,
Then hanged shouldst thou be.
QUEEN ELEANOR'S CONFESSION—B
1
Our queen's sick, an very sick,She's sick an like to die;
She has sent for the friars of France,
To speak wi her speedilie.
2
‘I'll put on a friar's robe,An ye'll put on anither,
An we'll go to Madam the Queen,
Like friars bath thegither.’
3
‘God forbid,’ said Earl Marishall,‘That ever the like shud be,
That I beguile Madam the Queen!
I wad be hangit hie.’
4
The King pat on a friar's robe,Earl Marishall on anither;
They're on to the Queen,
Like friars baith thegither.
5
‘Gin ye be the friars of France,As I trust well ye be —
But an ye be ony ither men,
Ye sall be hangit hie.’
6
The King he turnd him roun,An by his troth sware he,
260
Sin we came frae the sea.
7
‘The first sin ever I did,An a very great sin't was tee,
I gae my maidenhead to Earl Marishall,
Under the greenwood tree.’
8
‘That was a sin, an a very great sin,But pardond it may be;’
‘Wi mendiment,’ said Earl Marishall,
But a heavy heart had he.
9
‘The next sin ever I did,An a very great sin't was tee,
I poisened Lady Rosamond,
An the King's darling was she.’
10
‘That was a sin, an a very great sin,But pardond it may be;’
‘Wi mendiment,’ said King Henry,
But a heavy heart had he.
11
‘The next sin ever I did,An a very great sin't was tee,
I keepit poison in my bosom seven years,
To poison him King Henrie.’
12
‘That was a sin, an a very great sin,But pardond it may be;’
‘Wi mendiment,’ said King Henry,
But a heavy heart had he.
13
‘O see na ye yon bonny boys,As they play at the ba?
An see na ye Lord Marishal's son?
I lee him best of a'.
14
‘But see na ye King Henry's son?He's headit like a bull, and backit like a boar,
I like him warst awa:’
‘And by my sooth,’ says him King Henry,
‘I like him best o the twa.’
15
The King he turned him roun,Pat on the coat o goud,
[OMITTED]
The Queen turnd the King to behold.
16
[OMITTED][OMITTED]
‘Gin I hadna sworn by the crown and sceptre roun,
Earl Marishal sud been gart die.’
Queen Eleanor's Confession
QUEEN ELEANOR'S CONFESSION—C
1
The Queen's faen sick, and very, very sick,Sick, and going to die,
And she's sent for twa friars of France,
To speak with her speedilie.
2
The King he said to the Earl Marischal,To the Earl Marischal said he,
The Queen she wants twa friars frae France,
To speak with her presentlie.
3
Will ye put on a friar's coat,And I'll put on another,
And we'll go in before the Queen,
Like friars both together.
4
‘But O forbid,’ said the Earl Marischal,‘That I this deed should dee!
For if I beguile Eleanor our queen,
She will gar hang me hie.’
5
The King he turned him round about,An angry man was he;
He's sworn by his sceptre and his sword
Earl Marischal should not die.
6
The King has put on a friar's coat,Earl Marischal on another,
And they went in before the Queen,
Like friars both together.
7
‘O, if ye be twa friars of France,Ye're dearly welcome to me;
But if ye be twa London friars,
I will gar hang you hie.’
8
‘Twa friars of France, twa friars of France,Twa friars of France are we,
And we vow we never spoke to a man
Till we spake to Your Majesty.’
9
‘The first great sin that eer I did,And I'll tell you it presentlie,
261
When coming oer the sea.’
10
‘That was a sin, and a very great sin,But pardoned it may be;’
‘All that with amendment,’ said Earl Marischal,
But a quacking heart had he.
11
‘The next great sin that eer I did,I'll tell you it presentlie;
I carried a box seven years in my breast,
To poison King Henrie.’
12
‘O that was a sin, and a very great sin,But pardoned it may be;’
‘All that with amendment,’ said Earl Marischal,
But a quacking heart had he.
13
‘The next great sin that eer I did,I'll tell you it presentlie;
I poisoned the Lady Rosamond,
And a very good woman was she.
14
‘See ye not yon twa bonny boys,As they play at the ba?
The eldest of them is Marischal's son,
And I love him best of a';
The youngest of them is Henrie's son,
And I love him none at a'
15
‘For he is headed like a bull, a bull,He is backed like a boar;’
‘Then by my sooth,’ King Henrie said,
‘I love him the better therefor.’
16
The King has cast off his friar's coat,Put on a coat of gold;
The Queen she's turned her face about,
She could not's face behold.
17
The King then said to Earl Marischal,To the Earl Marischal said he,
Were it not for my sceptre and sword,
Earl Marischall, ye should die.
The Queen of England
QUEEN ELEANOR'S CONFESSION—D
[_]
Aytoun's Ballads of Scotland, 2d edition, I, 196, from the recitation of a lady residing in Kirkcaldy; learned of her mother.
1
The queen of England she has fallen sick,Sore sick, and like to die;
And she has sent for twa French priests,
To bear her companie.
2
The King he has got word o this,And an angry man was he;
And he is on to the Earl-a-Marshall,
As fast as he can gae.
3
‘Now you'll put on a priest's robe,And I'll put on anither,
And we will on unto the Queen,
Like twa French priests thegither.’
4
‘No indeed!’ said the Earl-a-Marshall,‘That winna I do for thee,
Except ye swear by your sceptre and crown
Ye'll do me nae injurie.’
5
The King has sworn by his sceptre and crownHe'll do him nae injurie,
And they are on unto the Queen,
As fast as they can gae.
6
‘O, if that ye be twa French priests,Ye're welcome unto me;
But if ye be twa Scottish lords,
High hanged ye shall be.
7
‘The first sin that I did sin,And that to you I'll tell,
I sleeped wi the Earl-a-Marshall,
Beneath a silken bell.
8
‘And wasna that a sin, and a very great sin?And I pray ye pardon me;’
‘Amen, and amen!’ said the Earl-a-Marshall,
And a wearied man was he.
9
‘The neist sin that I did sin,And that to you I'll tell,
I keeped the poison seven years in my bosom,
To poison the King himsel.
262
10
‘And wasna that a sin, and a very great sin?And I pray ye pardon me;’
‘Amen, and amen!’ said the Earl-a-Marshall,
And a wearied man was he.
11
‘O see ye there my seven sons,A’ playing at the ba?
There's but ane o them the King's himsel,
And I like him warst of a'.
12
‘He's high-backed, and low-breasted,And he is bald withal;’
‘And by my deed,’ and says the King,
‘I like him best mysel!
13
‘O wae betide ye, Earl-a-Marshall,And an ill death may ye die!
For if I hadna sworn by my sceptre and crown,
High hanged ye should be.’
Queen Eleanor's Confession
QUEEN ELEANOR'S CONFESSION—E
1
The Queen fell sick, and very, very sick,She was sick, and like to dee,
And she sent for a friar oure frae France,
Her confessour to be.
2
King Henry, when he heard o that,An angry man was he,
And he sent to the Earl Marshall,
Attendance for to gie.
3
‘The Queen is sick,’ King Henry cried,‘And wants to be beshriven;
She has sent for a friar oure frae France;
By the rude, he were better in heaven!
4
‘But tak you now a friar's guise,The voice and gesture feign,
And when she has the pardon crav'd,
Respond to her, Amen!
5
‘And I will be a prelate old,And sit in a corner dark,
To hear the adventures of my spouse,
My spouse, and her haly spark.’
6
‘My liege, my liege, how can I betrayMy mistress and my queen?
O swear by the rude that no damage
From this shall be gotten or gien!’
7
‘I swear by the rude,’ quoth King Henry,‘No damage shall be gotten or gien;
Come, let us spare no cure nor care
For the conscience o the Queen.’
8
‘O fathers, O fathers, I'm very, very sick,I'm sick, and like to dee;
Some ghostly comfort to my poor soul
O tell if ye can gie!’
9
‘Confess, confess,’ Earl Marshall cried,‘And you shall pardoned be;’
‘Confess, confess,’ the King replied,
‘And we shall comfort gie.’
10
‘Oh, how shall I tell the sorry, sorry tale!How can the tale be told!
I playd the harlot wi the Earl Marshall,
Beneath yon cloth of gold.
11
‘Oh, wasna that a sin, and a very great sin?But I hope it will pardoned be;’
‘Amen! Amen!’ quoth the Earl Marshall,
And a very feart heart had he.
12
‘O down i the forest, in a bower,Beyond yon dark oak-tree,
I drew a penknife frae my pocket
To kill King Henerie.
13
‘Oh, wasna that a sin, and a very great sin?But I hope it will pardoned be;’
‘Amen! Amen!’ quoth the Earl Marshall,
And a very feart heart had he.
14
‘O do you see yon pretty little boy,That's playing at the ba?
He is the Earl Marshall's only son,
And I loved him best of a'.
15
‘Oh, wasna that a sin, and a very great sin?But I hope it will pardoned be;’
‘Amen! Amen!’ quoth the Earl Marshall,
And a very feart heart had he.
263
16
‘And do you see yon pretty little girl,That's a' beclad in green?
She's a friar's daughter, oure in France,
And I hoped to see her a queen.
17
‘Oh, wasna that a sin, and a very great sin?But I hope it will pardoned be;’
‘Amen! Amen!’ quoth the Earl Marshall,
And a feart heart still had he.
18
‘O do you see yon other little boy,That's playing at the ba?
He is King Henry's only son,
And I like him warst of a'.
19
‘He's headed like a buck,’ she said,‘And backed like a bear;’
‘Amen!’ quoth the King, in the King's ain voice,
‘He shall be my only heir.’
20
The King lookd over his left shoulder,An angry man was he:
‘An it werna for the oath I sware,
Earl Marshall, thou shouldst dee.’
Earl Marshall
QUEEN ELEANOR'S CONFESSION—F
1
Queene Eleanor was a sick woman,And sick just like to die,
And she has sent for two fryars of France,
To come to her speedilie.
And she has sent, etc.
2
The King called downe his nobles all,By one, by two, by three:
‘Earl Marshall, I'll go shrive the Queene,
And thou shalt wend with mee.’
3
‘A boone, a boone!’ quoth Earl Marshall,And fell on his bended knee,
‘That whatsoever the Queene may say,
No harm thereof may bee.’
4
‘O you'll put on a gray-friar's gowne,And I'll put on another,
And we will away to fair London town,
Like friars both together.’
5
‘O no, O no, my liege, my king,Such things can never bee;
For if the Queene hears word of this,
Hanged she'll cause me to bee.’
6
‘I swear by the sun, I swear by the moon,And by the stars so hie,
And by my sceptre and my crowne,
The Earl Marshall shall not die.’
7
The King's put on a gray-friar's gowne,The Earl Marshall's put on another,
And they are away to fair London towne,
Like fryars both together.
8
When that they came to fair London towne,And came into Whitehall,
The bells did ring, and the quiristers sing,
And the torches did light them all.
9
And when they came before the Queene,They kneeled down on their knee:
‘What matter, what matter, our gracious queene,
You've sent so speedilie?’
10
‘O, if you are two fryars of France,It's you that I wished to see;
But if you are two English lords,
You shall hang on the gallowes-tree.’
11
‘O we are not two English lords,But two fryars of France we bee,
And we sang the Song of Solomon,
As we came over the sea.’
12
‘Oh, the first vile sin I did commitTell it I will to thee;
I fell in love with the Earl Marshall,
As he brought me over the sea.’
13
‘Oh, that was a great sin,’ quoth the King,‘But pardond it must bee;’
‘Amen! Amen!’ said the Earl Marshall,
With a heavie heart spake hee.
14
‘Oh, the next sin that I did commitI will to you unfolde;
264
Beneath this cloth of golde.’
15
‘Oh, that was a vile sin,’ said the King,‘May God forgive it thee!’
‘Amen! Amen!’ groaned the Earl Marshall,
And a very frightened man was hee.
16
‘Oh, the next sin that I did commitTell it I will to thee;
I poisoned a lady of noble blood,
For the sake of King Henrie.’
17
‘Oh, that was a great sin,’ said the King,‘But pardoned it shall bee;’
‘Amen! Amen!’ said the Earl Marshall,
And still a frightened man was he.
18
‘Oh, the next sin that ever I didTell it I will to thee;
I have kept strong poison this seven long years,
To poison King Henrie.’
19
‘Oh, that was a great sin,’ said the King,‘But pardoned it must bee;’
‘Amen! Amen!’ said the Earl Marshall,
And still a frightened man was hee.
20
‘O don't you see two little boys,Playing at the football?
O yonder is the Earl Marshall's son,
And I like him best of all.
21
‘O don't you see yon other little boy,Playing at the football?
O that one is King Henrie's son,
And I like him werst of all.
22
‘His head is like a black bull's head,His feet are like a bear;’
‘What matter! what matter!’ cried the King,
‘He's my son, and my only heir.’
23
The King plucked off his fryar's gowne,And stood in his scarlet so red;
The Queen she turned herself in bed,
And cryed that she was betrayde.
24
The King lookt oer his left shoulder,And a grim look looked he;
‘Earl Marshall,’ he said, ‘but for my oath,
Thou hadst swung on the gallowes-tree.’
Earl Marshall
QUEEN ELEANOR'S CONFESSION—G
[_]
“Scotch Ballads, Materials for Border Minstrelsy,” No 4 b, Abbotsford; in the handwriting of William Laidlaw.
1
The queen of England she is seek,And seek and like to dee;
She has sent for friers out of France,
To bespeek hir speed[i]ly.
2
The king has cald on his merrymen,By thirtys and by threes;
Earl Marshall should have been the formest man,
But the very last man was he.
3
‘The queen of England s[h]e is seek,And seek and like to dee,
And she has sent for friers out of France,
To bespeek hir speedyly.
4
‘But I will put on a frier's weeg,And ye'l put on another,
And we'll away to Queen Helen gaits,
Like friers both together.’
5
‘O no, no,’ says Earl Marshall,‘For this it must not be;
For if the queen get word of that,
High hanged I will be.’
6
‘But I will swear by my septer and crown,And by the seas so free,
I will swear by my septer and crown,
Earl Marshall, thow's no dee.’
7
So he has put on a frier's wig,And the king has put on another,
And they are away to Queen Helen gaits,
Like friers both together.
8
When they came to Queen Helen gaits,They tirled at the pin;
There was non so ready as the queene herself
To open and let them in.
9
‘O are you two Scottish dogs? —And hanged you shall be —
Or are [you] friers come out of France,
To bespeek me speedily?’
10
‘We are not two Scottish dogs,Nor hanged we shall be;
For we have not spoken a wrong word
Since we came over the sea.’
11
‘Well then, the very first that ever I sindI freely confess to thee;
Earl Marshall took my maidenhead
Below yon greenwood tree.’
12
‘That is a sin, and very great sin,But the Pope will pardon thee;’
‘Amene, Amene,’ says Earl Marshall,
But a feert, feert heart had he.
13
‘The very next sin that ever I sindI freely confess to thee;
I had [poisen] seven years in my breast
To poisen King Hendry.’
14
‘That is a sin, and very great sin,But the Pope forgiveth thee;’
‘Amene, Amene,’ says Earl Marshall,
But a feert, feert heart had he.
15
‘The very next sin that ever I sindI freely confess to thee;
I poisened one of my court's ladies,
Was far more fairer than me.’
16
‘That is a sin, and a very great sin,But the Pope forgiveth thee;’
‘Amene, Amene,’ says Earl Marshall,
But a feert, feert heart had he.
17
‘Do you see yon bony boys,Playing at the baw?
The oldest of them is Earl Marshall's,
And I like him best of all.’
18
‘That is a sin, and very great sin,But the Pope forgiveth thee;’
‘Amene, Amene,’ says Earl Marshall,
But a feert, feert heart had he.
19
‘Do ye see two bony [boys],Playing at the baw?
The youngest of them is King Hendry's,
And I like him worst of all.
20
‘Because he is headed like a bull,And his nose is like a boar;’
‘What is the matter?’ says King Henry,
‘For he shall be my heir.’
21
Now he put off his frier's wigAnd drest himself [in] red;
She wrung hir hands, and tore hir hair,
And s[w]ore she was betraid.
22
‘Had I not sworn by my septer and crown,And by the seas so free,
Had I not sworn by my septer and crown,
Earl Marshall, thowst have died.’
265
157
GUDE WALLACE
266
On an honourable Achievement of Sir William Wallace, near Falkirk
GUDE WALLACE—A
[_]
A chap-book of Four New Songs and a Prophecy, 1745? The Scots Musical Museum, 1853, D. Laing's additions, IV, 458; Maidment, Scotish Ballads and Songs, 1859, p. 83.
1
‘Had we a king,’ said Wallace then,‘That our kind Scots might live by their own!
But betwixt me and the English blood
I think there is an ill seed sown.’
2
Wallace him over a river lap,He lookd low down to a linn;
He was war of a gay lady
Was even at the well washing.
3
‘Well mot ye fare, fair madam,’ he said,‘And ay well mot ye fare and see!
Have ye any tidings me to tell,
I pray you'll show them unto me.’
4
‘I have no tidings you to tell,Nor yet no tidings you to ken;
But into that hostler's house
There's fifteen of your Englishmen.
267
5
‘And they are seeking Wallace there,For they've ordained him to be slain:’
‘O God forbid!’ said Wallace then,
‘For he's oer good a kind Scotsman.
6
‘But had I money me upon,And evn this day, as I have none,
Then would I to that hostler's house,
And evn as fast as I could gang.’
7
She put her hand in her pocket,She told him twenty shillings oer her knee;
Then he took off both hat and hood,
And thankd the lady most reverently.
8
‘If eer I come this way again,Well paid [your] money it shall be;’
Then he took off both hat and hood,
And he thankd the lady most reverently.
9
He leand him twofold oer a staff,So did he threefold oer a tree,
And he's away to the hostler's house,
Even as fast as he might dree.
10
When he came to the hostler's house,He said; Good-ben be here! quoth he:
An English captain, being deep load,
He asked him right cankerdly,
11
Where was you born, thou crooked carle,And in what place, and what country?
‘Tis I was born in fair Scotland,
A crooked carle although I be.’
12
The English captain swore by th' rood,‘We are Scotsmen as well as thee,
And we are seeking Wallace; then
To have him merry we should be.’
13
‘The man,’ said Wallace, ‘ye're looking for,I seed him within these days three;
And he has slain an English captain,
And ay the fearder the rest may be.’
14
‘I'd give twenty shillings,’ said the captain,‘To such a crooked carle as thee,
If you would take me to the place
Where that I might proud Wallace see.’
15
‘Hold out your hand,’ said Wallace then,‘And show your money and be free,
For tho you'd bid an hundred pound,
I never bade a better bode’ [,said he].
16
He struck the captain oer the chafts,Till that he never chewed more;
He stickd the rest about the board,
And left them all a sprawling there.
17
‘Rise up, goodwife,’ said Wallace then,‘And give me something for to eat;
For it's near two days to an end
Since I tasted one bit of meat.’
18
His board was scarce well covered,Nor yet his dine well scantly dight,
Till fifteen other Englishmen
Down all about the door did light.
19
‘Come out, come out,’ said they, ‘Wallace!’ then,‘For the day is come that ye must die;’
And they thought so little of his might,
But ay the fearder they might be.
20
The wife ran but, the gudeman ran ben,It put them all into a fever;
Then five he sticked where they stood,
And five he trampled in the gutter.
21
And five he chased to yon green wood,He hanged them all out-oer a grain;
And gainst the morn at twelve o'clock,
He dined with his kind Scottish men.
Sir William Wallace
GUDE WALLACE—B
1
‘I wish we had a king,’ says Wallace,‘That Scotland might not want a head;
In England and in Scotland baith,
I'm sure that some have sowed ill seed.’
2
Wallace he oer the water did luke,And he luked law down by a glen,
268
As she was at the well washing.
3
‘Weel may ye save, fair lady!’ he says,‘Far better may ye save and see!
If ye have ony tidings to tell,
I pray cum tell them a' to me.’
4
‘I have no tidings you to tell,And as few tidings do I ken;
But up and to yon ostler-house
Are just gane fifteen gentlemen.
5
‘They now are seeking Gude Wallace,And ay they're damning him to hang;’
‘Oh God forbid,’ says Wallace then,
‘I'm sure he is a true Scotsman.
6
‘Had I but ae penny in my pocket,Or in my company ae baubee,
I woud up to yon ostler-house,
A' these big gentlemen to see.’
7
She pat her hand into her pocket,She powd out twenty shillings and three:
‘If eer I live to come this way,
Weel payed shall your money be.’
8
He leaned him twafold oer a staff,Sae did he twafold oer a tree,
And he's gane up to the ostler-house,
A' these fine gentlemen to see.
9
When he cam up among them a',He bad his benison be there;
The captain, being weel buke-learnd,
Did answer him in domineer.
10
‘Where was ye born, ye cruked carl,Or in what town, or what countree?’
‘O I was born in fair Scotland,
A cruked carl although I be.’
11
The captain sware by the root of his sword,Saying, I'm a Scotsman as weel as thee;
Here's twenty shillings of English money
To such a cruked carl as thee,
If thou'll tell me of that Wallace;
He's ay the creature I want to see.
12
‘O hawd your hand,’ says Wallace then,‘I'm feard your money be not gude;
If't were as muckle and ten times mair,
It shoud not bide anither bode.’
13
He's taen the captain alang the chaps,A wat he never chawed mair;
The rest he sticked about the table,
And left them a' a sprawling there.
14
‘Gude wife,’ he said, ‘for my benison,Get up and get my dinner dight;
For it is twa days till an end
Syne I did taste ane bit of meat.’
15
Dinner was not weel made ready,Nor yet upon the table set,
When fifteen other Englishmen
Alighted all about the yate.
16
‘Come out, come out now, Wallace,’ they say,‘For this is the day ye are to dee;
Ye trust sae mickle in God's might,
And ay the less we do fear thee.’
17
The gude wife ran but, the gude man ran ben,They pat the house all in a swither;
Five sune he sticked where he stude,
And five he smitherd in a gutter.
18
Five he chac'd to the gude green-wood,And hanged them a' out-oer a pin;
And at the morn at eight o'clock
He din'd with his men at Lough-mabin.
Gude Wallace
GUDE WALLACE—C
1
‘O for my ain king,’ quo Gude Wallace,‘The rightfu king of fair Scotland!
Between me and my soverign blude
I think I see some ill seed sawn.’
2
Wallace out over yon river he lap,And he has lighted low down on yon plain,
And he was aware of a gay ladie,
As she was at the well washing.
3
‘What tydins, what tydins, fair lady?’ he says,‘What tydins hast thou to tell unto me?
269
‘What tydins hae ye in the south countrie?’
4
‘Low down in yon wee ostler-houseThere is fyfteen Englishmen,
And they are seekin for Gude Wallace,
It's him to take and him to hang.’
5
‘There's nocht in my purse,’ quo Gude Wallace,‘There's nocht, not even a bare pennie;
But I will down to yon wee ostler-house,
Thir fyfteen Englishmen to see.’
6
And when he cam to yon wee ostler-houseHe bad bendicite be there;
[OMITTED]
[OMITTED]
7
‘Where was ye born, auld crookit carl?Where was ye born, in what countrie?’
‘I am a true Scot born and bred,
And an auld crookit carl just sic as ye see.’
8
‘I wad gie fifteen shillings to onie crookit carl,To onie crookit carl just sic as ye,
If ye will get me Gude Wallace;
For he is the man I wad very fain see.’
9
He hit the proud captain alang the chafft-blade,That never a bit o meal he ate mair;
And he sticket the rest at the table where they sat,
And he left them a' lyin sprawlin there.
10
‘Get up, get up, gudewife,’ he says,‘And get to me some dinner in haste;
For it will soon be three lang days
Sin I a bit o meat did taste.’
11
The dinner was na weel readie,Nor was it on the table set,
Till other fifteen Englishmen
Were a' lighted about the yett.
12
‘Come out, come out now, Gude Wallace!This is the day that thou maun die:’
‘I lippen nae sae little to God,’ he says,
‘Altho I be but ill wordie.’
13
The gudewife had an auld gudeman;By Gude Wallace he stiffly stood,
Till ten o the fyfteen Englishmen
Before the door lay in their blude.
14
The other five to the greenwood ran,And he hangd these five upon a grain,
And on the morn, wi his merry men a',
He sat at dine in Lochmaben town.
Gude Wallace
GUDE WALLACE—D
[_]
Communicated to Robert Chambers by Elliot Anderson, Galashiels, 21 April, 1827, in a letter preserved among Kinloch's papers. Copied, with changes, in Kinloch MSS, I, 177. Furnished me by Mr. Macmath.
1
‘I wish we had our king,’ quo Gude Wallace,‘An ilka true Scotsman had his nawn;
For between us an the southron louns
I doubt some ill seed has been sawn.’
2
Wallace he owre the water gaed,An looked low down by a glen,
An there he saw a pretty, pretty maid,
As she was at the well washin.
3
‘O weel may ye wash, my bonny, bonny maid!An weel may ye saep, an me to see!
If ye have ony tidins to tell,
I pray you tell them unto me.’
4
‘I have no tidins for to tell,Nor ony uncos do I ken;
But up into yon little alehouse
An there sits fyfteen Englishmen.
5
‘An ay they are speakin o Gude Wallace,An ay they are doomin him to hang:’
‘O forbid!’ quo Gude Wallace,
‘He's owre truehearted a Scotsman.
6
‘Had I but a penny in my pouch,As I have not a single bawbee,
I would up into yon little alehouse,
An ay thae southron blades to see.’
270
7
She's put her hand into her pouch,An counted him out pennies three;
‘If ever I live to come back this way,
Weel paid the money it shall be.’
8
He's taen a staff into his hand,An leand himsel outowre a tree,
An he's awa to yon little alehouse,
An ay the southron louns to see.
9
When he gaed in to that little alehouse,He bad his bennison be there;
The captain answered him [in] wrath,
He answerd him with domineer.
10
‘O whare was ye born, ye crooked auld carle?An how may this your dwellin be?’
‘O I was born in fair Scotland,
A crooked carle altho I be.’
11
‘O I would een gie twenty shillinsTo ony sic crooked carle as thee
That wad find me out Gude Wallace;
For ay that traitor I lang to see.’
12
‘Haud out your hand,’ quo Gude Wallace,‘I doubt your money be not gude;
If ye'll gie ither twenty shillins,
It neer shall bide ye anither bode.’
13
He's taen the captain outowre the jaws,Anither word spak he neer mair;
An five he sticket whare they sat,
The rest lay scramblin here an there.
14
‘Get up, get up, gudewife,’ he says,‘An get some meat ready for me,
For I hae fasted this three lang days;
A wat right hungry I may be.’
15
The meat it wasna weel made ready,Nor as weel on the table set,
Till there cam fyfteen Englishmen
An lighted a' about the yett.
16
The gudewife ran but, the gudeman ran ben;It put them a' in sic a stoure
That five he sticket whare they sat,
An five lay sprawlin at the door.
17
An five are to the greenwood gane,An he's hangd them a' outowre a tree,
An before the mornin twal o clock
He dined wi his men at Loch Marie.
Willie Wallace
GUDE WALLACE—E
[_]
Communicated to James Telfer by A. Fisher, as written down from the mouth of a serving-man, who had learned it in the neighborhood of Lochmaben. Mr Robert White's papers.
1
Willie Wallace the water lap,And lighted low down in a glen;
There he came to a woman washing,
And she had washers nine or ten.
2
‘O weel may ye wash!’ said Willie Wallace,‘O weel may ye wash!’ said fair Willie,
‘And gin ye have any tidings to tell,
I pray ye tell them unto me.’
3
‘I have nae tidings for to tell,And as few will I let ye ken;
But down into yon hosteler-ha
Lies fifteen English gentlemen.’
4
‘O had I ae penny in my pocket,Or had I yet ane bare bawbee,
I would go to yon hosteler-ha,
All for these Englishmen to see.
5
‘O wil ye len me ane pennie,Or will ye len me a bare bawbee,
I would go to yon hosteler-ha,
All for these Englishmen to see.’
6
She's put her hand into her pocket,And she's gaen him out guineas three,
And he's away to yon ostler-ha,
All for these Englishmen to see.
7
Before he came to the hosteler-ha,He linkit his armour oer a tree;
These Englishmen, being weel book-learned,
They said to him, Great Dominie!
8
Where was ye born, ye crookit carle?Where was ye born, or in what countrie?
‘In merry Scotland I was born,
A crookit carle altho I be.’
271
9
‘Here's fifteen shillings,’ one of them said,‘Here's other fifteen I'll gie to thee,
If you will tell me where the traitor Willie Wallace is,
Or where away thou thinks he'll be.’
10
‘Pay down, pay down your money,’ he said,‘Pay down, pay down richt speedilie,
For if your answer be not good,
You shall have the downfall of Robin Hood,’ [said he].
11
He struck the captain on the jaw,He swore that he would chow nae mair cheese;
He's killed all the rest with his good broadsword,
And left them wallowing on their knees.
12
‘Go cover the table,’ said Willie Wallace,‘Go cover the table, get me some meat,
For it is three days and rather mair
Since I did either drink or eat.’
13
They had not the table weel covered,Nor yet the candle weel gaen licht,
Till fifteen other Englishmen
They a' down at the door did light.
14
‘Come out, come out, Willie Wallace,’ they said.‘Come out, come out, and do not flee,
For we have sworn by our good broadswords
That this is the nicht that you sall dee.’
15
He's killed five with his good broadsword,He's drowned other five in the raging sea,
And he's taen other five to the merry greenwood,
And hanged them oer the highest tree.
Willie Wallace
GUDE WALLACE—F
1
Wallace in the high highlans,Neither meat nor drink got he;
Said, Fa me life, or fa me death,
Now to some town I maun be.
2
He's put on his short claiding,And on his short claiding put he;
Says, Fa me life, or fa me death,
Now to Perth-town I maun be.
3
He steped oer the river Tay,I wat he steped on dry land;
He was aware of a well-fared maid,
Was washing there her lilie hands.
4
‘What news, what news, ye well-fared maid?What news hae ye this day to me?’
‘No news, no news, ye gentle knight,
No news hae I this day to thee,
But fifteen lords in the hostage-house
Waiting Wallace for to see.’
5
‘If I had but in my pocketThe worth of one single pennie,
I would go to the hostage-house,
And there the gentlemen to see.’
6
She put her hand in her pocket,And she has pulld out half-a-crown;
Says, Take ye that, ye belted knight,
'Twill pay your way till ye come down.
7
As he went from the well-fared maid,A beggar bold I wat met he,
Was coverd wi a clouted cloak,
And in his hand a trusty tree.
8
‘What news, what news, ye silly auld man?What news hae ye this day to gie?’
‘No news, no news, ye belted knight,
No news hae I this day to thee,
But fifteen lords in the hostage-house
Waiting Wallace for to see.’
9
‘Ye'll lend me your clouted cloak,That covers you frae head to shie,
And I'll go to the hostage-house,
Asking there for some supplie.’
10
Now he's gone to the West-muir wood,And there he's pulld a trusty tree;
And then he's on to the hostage gone,
Asking there for charitie.
11
Down the stair the captain comes,Aye the poor man for to see:
272
Ye'll give a poor man some supplie;
If ye be a captain as good as ye look,
A guinea this day ye'll gie to me.’
12
‘Where were ye born, ye crooked carle?Where were ye born, in what countrie?’
‘In fair Scotland I was born,
Crooked carle that I be.’
13
‘I would give you fifty pounds,Of gold and white monie,
I would give you fifty pounds,
If the traitor Wallace ye'd let me see.’
14
‘Tell down your money,’ said Willie Wallace,‘Tell down your money, if it be good;
I'm sure I have it in my power,
And never had a better bode.
15
‘Tell down your money,’ said Willie Wallace,‘And let me see if it be fine;
I'm sure I have it in my power
To bring the traitor Wallace in.’
16
The money was told on the table,Silver bright of pounds fiftie;
‘Now here I stand,’ said Willie Wallace,
‘And what hae ye to say to me?’
17
He slew the captain where he stood,The rest they did quack an roar;
He slew the rest around the room,
And askd if there were any more.
18
‘Come, cover the table,’ said Willie Wallace,‘Come, cover the table now, make haste;
For it will soon be three lang days
Sin I a bit o meat did taste.’
19
The table was not well covered,Nor yet was he set down to dine,
Till fifteen more of the English lords
Surrounded the house where he was in.
20
The guidwife she ran but the floor,And aye the guidman he ran ben;
From eight o clock till four at noon
He has killd full thirty men.
21
He put the house in sick a switherThat five o them he sticket dead,
Five o them he drownd in the river,
And five hung in the West-muir wood.
22
Now he is on to the North-Inch gone,Where the maid was washing tenderlie;
‘Now by my sooth,’ said Willie Wallace,
‘It's been a sair day's wark to me.’
23
He's put his hand in his pocket,And he has pulld out twenty pounds;
Says, Take ye that, ye weel-fared maid,
For the gude luck of your half-crown.
Sir William Wallace
GUDE WALLACE—G
[_]
The Thistle of Scotland, Alexander Laing, p. 100, from the repetition of an old gentlewoman in Aberdeenshire. Also Motherwell's MS., p. 487, communicated by Peter Buchan of Peterhead, “who had it from an old woman in that neighborhood.”
1
Woud ye hear of William Wallace,An sek him as he goes,
Into the lan of Lanark,
Amang his mortel faes?
2
There was fyften English sogersUnto his ladie cam,
Said, Gie us William Wallace,
That we may have him slain.
3
Woud ye gie William Wallace,That we may have him slain,
And ye's be wedded to a lord,
The best in Christendeem.
4
‘This verra nicht at seven,Brave Wallace will come in,
And he'll come to my chamber-door,
Without or dread or din.’
5
The fyften English sogersAround the house did wait,
And four brave southron foragers
Stood hie upon the gait.
6
That verra nicht at sevenBrave Wallace he came in,
And he came to his ladie's bouir,
Withouten dread or din.
273
7
When she beheld him Wallace,She star'd him in the face;
‘Ohon, alas!’ said that ladie,
‘This is a woful case.
8
‘For I this nicht have sold you,This nicht you must be taen,
And I'm to be wedded to a lord,
The best in Christendeem.’
9
‘Do you repent,’ said Wallace,‘The ill you've dane to me?’
‘Ay, that I do,’ said that ladie,
‘And will do till I die.
10
‘Ay, that I do,’ said that ladie,‘And will do ever still,
And for the ill I've dane to you,
Let me burn upon a hill.’
11
‘Now God forfend,’ says brave Wallace,‘I shoud be so unkind;
Whatever I am to Scotland's faes,
I'm aye a woman's friend.
12
‘Will ye gie me your gown, your gown,Your gown but and your kirtle,
Your petticoat of bonny brown,
And belt about my middle?
13
‘I'll take a pitcher in ilka hand,And do me to the well;
They'll think I'm one of your maidens,
Or think it is yoursell.’
14
She has gien him her gown, her gown,Her petticoat and kirtle,
Her broadest belt, wi silver clasp,
To bind about his middle.
15
He's taen a pitcher in ilka hand,And dane him to the well;
They thought him one of her maidens,
They kend it was nae hersell.
16
Said one of the southron foragers,See ye yon lusty dame?
I woud nae gie muckle to thee, neebor,
To bring her back agen.
17
Then all the southrous followd him,And sure they were but four;
But he has drawn his trusty brand,
And slew them pair by pair.
18
He threw the pitchers frae his hands,And to the hills fled he,
Until he cam to a fair may,
Was washin on yon lea.
19
‘What news, what news, ye weel-far'd may?What news hae ye to gie?’
‘Ill news, ill news,’ the fair may said,
‘Ill news I hae to thee.
20
‘There is fyften English sogersInto that thatched inn,
Seeking Sir William Wallace;
I fear that he is slain.’
21
‘Have ye any money in your pocket?Pray lend it unto me,
And when I come this way again,
Repaid ye weel shall be.’
22
She['s] put her hand in her pocket,And taen out shillings three;
He turnd him right and round about,
And thankd the weel-far'd may.
23
He had not gone a long rig length,A rig length and a span,
Until he met a bold beggar,
As sturdy as coud gang.
24
‘What news, what news, ye bold beggar?What news hae ye to gie?’
‘O heavy news,’ the beggar said,
‘I hae to tell to thee.
25
‘There is fyften English sogers,I heard them in yon inn,
Vowing to kill him Wallace;
I fear the chief is slain.’
26
‘Will ye change apparell wi me, auld man?Change your apparell for mine?
And when I come this way again,
Ye'll be my ain poor man.’
27
When he got on the beggar's coat,The pike-staff in his hand,
He's dane him down to yon tavern,
Where they were drinking wine.
274
28
‘What news, what news, ye staff-beggar?What news hae ye to gie?’
‘I hae nae news, I heard nae news,
As few I'll hae frae thee.’
29
‘I think your coat is ragged, auld man;But woud you wages win,
And tell where William Wallace is,
We'll lay gold in your hand.’
30
‘Tell down, tell down your good red gold,Upon the table-head,
And ye sall William Wallace see,
Wi the down-come of Robin Hood.’
31
They had nae tauld the money down,And laid it on his knee,
When candles, lamps, and candlesticks,
He on the floor gard flee.
32
And he has drawn his trusty brand,And slew them one by one,
Then sat down at the table-head,
And called for some wine.
33
The goodwife she ran but, ran but,The goodman he ran ben,
The verra bairns about the fire
Were a' like to gang brain.
34
‘Now if there be a Scotsman here,He'll come and drink wi me;
But if there be an English loun,
It is his time to flee.’
35
The goodman was an Englishman,And to the hills he ran;
The goodwife was a Scots woman,
And she came to his hand.
Wallace and his Leman
GUDE WALLACE—H
1
Wallace wight, upon a night,Came riding oer the linn,
And he is to his leman's bower,
And tirld at the pin.
2
‘O sleep ye, wake ye, lady?’ he said,‘Ye'll rise, lat me come in.’
‘O wha's this at my bower-door,
That knocks, and knows my name?’
‘My name is William Wallace;
Ye may my errand ken.’
3
‘The truth to you I will rehearse,The secret I'll unfold;
Into your enmies' hands this night
I fairly hae you sold.’
4
‘If that be true ye tell to me,Do ye repent it sair?’
‘O that I do,’ she said, ‘dear Wallace,
And will do evermair!
5
‘The English did surround my house,And forced me theretill;
But for your sake, my dear Wallace,
I coud burn on a hill.’
6
Then he gae her a loving kiss,The tear droppd frae his ee;
Says, Fare ye well for evermair,
Your face nae mair I'll see.
7
She dressd him in her ain claithing,And frae her house he came;
Which made the Englishmen admire,
To see this stalwart dame.
8
He is to Saint Johnston gane,And there he playd him well;
For there he saw a well-far'd may,
Was washing at a well.
9
‘What news, what news, ye well-far'd may?What news hae ye to me?
What news, what news, ye well-far'd may,
All from your north countrie?’
10
‘See ye not yon tavern-house,That stands on yonder plain?
This very day have landet in it
Full fifteen Englishmen;
11
‘In search of Wallace, our dear champion,Ordaining that he shoud dee.’
‘Then on my troth,’ said Wallace wight,
‘These Englishmen I'se see.’
GUDE WALLACE—I
1
‘I wish I had a king,’ brave Wallace he said,‘That every brave Scotsman might leave by his oun,
For between me and my sovreign leige
I think I see some ill [seed] sowen.’
2
Brave Wallace out-oer yon river he lap,And he lighted low down on the plain,
And he came to a gay lady,
As she was at the well washing.
3
‘Some tidings, some tidings,’ brave Wallace he said,‘Some tidings ye most tell unto me;
Now since we are met here togither on the plain,
Some tidings ye most tell unto me.’
4
‘O go ye down to yon wee ale-house,And there is fifeteen Englishmen,
And they are seeking for good Wallace,
And him to take and him for to hang.’
5
‘I wish I had a penny in my pocket,’ he says,‘Or although it were but a bare baubee,
And I wad away to the wee ale-house,
The fifeteen Englishmen to see.’
6
She's put hir hand in hir left pocket,And fifeteen shillings to him she told down:
‘If ever I live to come back this way,
The money's be well paid agein.’
7
He louted twafauld oer a stick,And he louted threefauld oer a tree,
And he'es gane awa to the wee ale-house,
The fifeteen Englishmen to see.
8
When he came to the wee ale-house,He walked ben, says, Decencey be there!
The Engilish proud captain he awnsered him,
And he awnsered him with a graid domineer.
9
‘Why, where wast thou born, thou old crooked carle?Where and of what country?’
‘I am a true Scotsman bred and born,
And an auld crooked carle, just sic as ye may see.’
10
‘I wad gee fifeteen shillings,’ the captain he said,‘To an auld crooked carle, just sic a ane as thee,
If ye wad tell me of Willie Wallace,
For he's the man I wad fain see.’
11
‘O hold your hand,’ brave Wallace he said,‘And let me see if yeer coin be good;
If ye wad give fifeteen shillings more,
Ye never bade a better boad.’
12
He's tean the captain out-oer the chaft-blade,Till a bitt of meat he never did eat mair;
He stickit a' the reste as the sat aroun the table,
And he left them all a spraulling there.
13
‘Get up, get up, goodwife,’ he says,‘Get up and get me some denner in haste,
For it is now three days and nights
Since a bit of meat my mouth did taste.’
14
The denner was not well made ready,Nor was it on the table sett,
Till other fifeteen English men
Were a' perading about the yett.
15
‘Come out, come out now, Wallace,’ they crys,‘For this is the place ye'es sure for [to] die;’
‘I lippen not sae little to good,’ he says,
‘Although I be but ill-wordie.’
16
The goodman ran butt, the goodwife ran ben,They put the house in such a fever!
Five of them he sticket where they stood,
And other five he smoddered in the gitter.
17
Five of them he folowd to the merry green-wood,And these five he hangt on a grain,
And gin the morn at ten o'clock
He was wi his mirry men at Lochmaben.
275
158
HUGH SPENCER'S FEATS IN FRANCE
276
Hugh Spencer
HUGH SPENCER'S FEATS IN FRANCE—A
1
The court is kept att leeue London,And euermore shall be itt;
The King sent for a bold embassador,
And Sir Hugh Spencer that he hight.
2
‘Come hither, Spencer,’ saith our kinge,‘And come thou hither vnto mee;
I must make thee an embassadour
Betweene the king of Ffrance and mee.
3
‘Thou must comend me to the king of Ffrance,And tell him thus and now ffrom mee,
277
Or open warr kept still must bee.
4
‘Thou'st haue thy shipp at thy comande,Thou'st neither want for gold nor ffee;
Thou'st haue a hundred armed men,
All att thy bidding ffor to bee.’
5
The wind itt serued, and they sayled,And towards Ffrance thus they be gone;
The wind did bring them safe to shore,
And safelye landed euerye one.
6
The Ffrenchmen lay on the castle-wall,The English souldiers to behold:
‘You are welcome, traitors, out of England;
The heads of you are bought and sold.’
7
With that spake proud Spencer:My leege, soe itt may not bee;
I am sent an embassador
Ffrom our English king to yee.
8
The king of England greetes you well,And hath sent this word by mee;
He wold know whether there shold be peace in your land,
Or open warres kept still must bee.
9
‘Comend me to the English kinge,And tell this now ffrom mee;
There shall neuer peace be kept in my land
While open warres kept there may bee.’
10
With that came downe the queene of Ffrance,And an angry woman then was shee;
Saies, Itt had beene as ffitt now for a king
To be in his chamber with his ladye,
Then to be pleading with traitors out of England,
Kneeling low vppon their knee.
11
But then bespake him proud Spencer,For noe man else durst speake but hee:
You haue not wiped your mouth, madam,
Since I heard you tell a lye.
12
‘O hold thy tounge, Spencer!’ shee said,‘I doe not come to plead with thee;
Darest thou ryde a course of warr
With a knight that I shall put to thee?’
13
‘But euer alacke!’ then Spencer sayd,‘I thinke I haue deserued Gods cursse;
Ffor I haue not any armour heere,
Nor yett I haue noe iusting-horsse.’
14
‘Thy shankes,’ quoth shee, ‘beneath the kneeAre verry small aboue the shinne
Ffor to doe any such honourablle deeds
As the Englishmen say thou has done.
15
‘Thy shankes beene small aboue thy shoone,And soe the beene aboue thy knee;
Thou art to slender euery way
Any good iuster ffor to bee.’
16
‘But euer alacke,’ said Spencer then,‘For one steed of the English countrye!’
With that bespake and one Ffrench knight,
This day thou'st haue the choyce of three.
17
The first steed he ffeiched out,I-wis he was milke-white;
The ffirst ffoot Spencer in stirropp sett,
His backe did from his belly tyte.
18
The second steed that he ffeitcht out,I-wis that hee was verry browne;
The second ffoot Spencer in stirropp settt,
That horsse and man and all ffell downe.
19
The third steed that hee ffeitched out,I-wis that he was verry blacke;
The third ffoote Spencer into the stirropp sett,
He leaped on to the geldings backe.
20
‘But euer alacke,’ said Spencer then,‘For one good steed of the English countrye!
Goe ffeitch me hither my old hacneye,
That I brought with me hither beyond the sea.’
21
But when his hackney there was brought,Spencer a merry man there was hee;
Saies, With the grace of God and St George of England,
The ffeild this day shall goe with mee.
22
‘I haue not fforgotten,’ Spencer sayd,‘Since there was ffeild foughten att Walsingam,
278
He did beare ore both horsse and man.’
23
The day was sett, and togetther they mett,With great mirth and melodye,
With minstrells playing, and trumpetts soundinge,
With drumes striking loud and hye.
24
The ffirst race that Spencer run,I-wis hee run itt wonderous sore;
He [hitt] the knight vpon his brest,
But his speare itt burst, and wold touch noe more.
25
‘But euer alacke,’ said Spencer then,‘For one staffe of the English countrye!
Without you'le bind me three together,’
Quoth hee, ‘they'le be to weake ffor mee.’
26
With that bespake him the Ffrench knight,Sayes, Bind him together the whole thirtye,
For I haue more strenght in my to hands
Then is in all Spencers bodye.
27
‘But proue att parting,’ Spencer sayes,‘Ffrench knight, here I tell itt thee;
For I will lay thee five to four
The bigger man I proue to bee.’
28
But the day was sett, and together they mett,With great mirth and melodye,
With minstrells playing, and trumpetts soundinge,
With drummes strikeing loud and hye.
29
The second race that Spencer run,I-wis hee ridd itt in much pride,
And he hitt the knight vpon the brest,
And draue him ore his horsse beside.
30
But he run thorrow the Ffrench campe;Such a race was neuer run beffore;
He killed of King Charles his men
Att hand of thirteen or fourteen score.
31
But he came backe againe to the K[ing],And kneeled him downe vpon his knee;
Saies, A knight I haue slaine, and a steed I haue woone,
The best that is in this countrye.
32
‘But nay, by my faith,’ then said the King,‘Spencer, soe itt shall not bee;
I'le haue that traitors head of thine,
To enter plea att my iollye.’
33
But Spencer looket him once about,He had true bretheren left but four;
He killed ther of the Kings gard
About twelve or thirteen score.
34
‘But hold thy hands,’ the King doth say,‘Spencer, now I doe pray thee;
And I will goe into litle England,
Vnto that cruell kinge with thee.’
35
‘Nay, by my ffaith,’ Spencer sayd,‘My leege, for soe itt shall not bee;
For an you sett ffoot on English ground,
You shall be hanged vpon a tree.’
36
‘Why then, comend [me] to that Englishe kinge,And tell him thus now ffrom mee,
That there shall neuer be open warres kept in my land
Whilest peace kept that there may bee.’
Hugh Spencer
HUGH SPENCER'S FEATS IN FRANCE—B
1
Our king lay at Westminster,as oft times he had done,
And he sent for Hugh Spencer,
to come to him anon.
2
Then in came Hugh Spencer,low kneeling on his knee:
‘What's the matter, my liege,
you sent so speedily for me?’
3
‘Why you must go ambassadourto France now, to see
Whether peace shall be taken,
aye, or open wars must be.’
279
4
‘Who shall go with me?’says Hugh Spencer, he:
‘That shall Hugh Willoughby
and John of Atherly.’
‘O then,’ says Hugh Spencer,
‘we'll be a merry company.’
5
When they came before the French king,they kneeled low on the knee:
‘O rise up, and stand up,
whose men soer you be.’
6
The first that made answerwas Hugh Spencer, he:
‘We are English ambassadours,
come hither to see
Whether peace shall be taken,
aye, or open wars must be.’
7
Then spoke the French king,and he spoke courteously:
The last time peace was broken,
it was neer along of me.
8
For you sunk my ships, slew my men,and thus did ye;
And the last time peace was broken,
it was neer along of me.
9
Then in came Queen Maude,and full as ill was she:
‘A chamber of presence
is better for thee,
Then amongst English shepherds,
low bending on the knee.’
10
The first that made answerwas Hugh Spencer, he:
‘We are no English shepherds,
Queen Maude, I tell thee,
But we're knights, and knights fellows,
the worst man in our company.’
11
O then spoke Queen Maude,and full as ill was she:
Thou shouldst be Hugh Spencer,
thou talkst so boldly.
12
And if thou beest Hugh Spencer,as well thou seemst to be,
I've oft heard of thy justling,
and some of it would fain see.
13
I have a steed in my stablethat thou canst not ride;
I have a spear in my keeping
that thou canst not guide;
And I have a knight in my realm
that thou darest not abide.
14
Then Spencer askd Willoughbyand John of Atherly
Whether he should take this justling in hand,
aye, or let it be.
15
O then spoke Hugh Willoughbyand John of Atherly:
If you won't take it [in] hand,
why turn it unto we.
16
‘It shall neer be said in England,’says Hugh Spencer, he,
‘That I refused a good justling
and turned it to ye.
17
‘Alas,’ says Hugh Spencer,‘full sore may I moan,
I have nought here but an ambler,
my good steed's at home.’
18
Then spoke a French knight,and he spoke courteously:
I have thirty steeds in my stables,
the best of them take to thee.
19
‘Gramercy,’ says Spencer,‘aye, and gramercy;
If eer thou comest to England,
well rewarded shalt thou be.’
20
The first steed they brought him,he was a milk-white:
‘Take that away,’ says Spencer,
‘for I do not him like.’
21
The next steed they brought him,he was a good dun:
‘Take that away,’ says Spencer,
‘for he's not for my turn.’
22
The next steed they brought him,he was a dapple-grey:
‘Take that away,’ says Spencer,
‘for he is not used to the way.’
280
23
The next steed they brought him,he was a coal-black;
His eyes burnt in his head,
as if fire were in flax;
‘Come saddle me that horse,’ says Spencer,
‘for I'll have none but that.’
24
When that horse was saddled,and Spencer got on,
With his spear at his foot,
O he was portly man!
25
‘Now I am on that steede-backthat I could not ride,
That spear in my keeping
that I could not guide,
Come shew me that French knight
that I dare not abide.’
26
‘It is a sign by thy sharp shin,ay, and thy cropped knee,
That you are no fit match
to justle with me:’
‘Why it makes no matter,’ says Spencer,
‘you hear no brags of me.’
27
The first time they rode together,now Sir Hugh and he,
He turnd him in his saddle
like an apple on a tree.
28
The next time they rode together,now Sir Hugh and he,
He lit upon his breast-plate,
and he broke his spear in three.
29
‘A spear now,’ says Spencer,‘a spear now get me:’
‘Thou shalt have one,’ says Willoughby,
‘if in France one there be.’
30
‘O tye two together,and the stronger they'l be,
For the French is the better,
and the better shall be:’
‘Why it makes no matter,’ says Spencer,
‘you hear no brags of me.’
31
The next time they rode together,now Sir Hugh and he,
He threw him fifteen foot from his saddle,
and he broke his back in three:
‘Now I have slain thy justler,
Queen Maude, I tell thee.’
32
O then spoke Queen Maude,and full as ill was she:
If thou'st slain my justler,
by the Kings laws thou'st dye.
33
‘It shall neer be said in England,’says Hugh Spencer, he;
‘It shall neer be said in England,’
says Hugh Willoughby;
34
‘It shall neer be said in England,’says John of Atherly,
‘That a queen of another nation
eer had her will of we.’
35
They laid their heads together,and their backs to the wall;
There were four score of the Queen's guards,
and they slew them all.
36
Then spoke the French king,and he spoke courteously:
O hold thy hand, Spencer,
I dearly pray thee.
37
Thou art sharp as thy spear,and as fierce as thy steed,
And the stour of thy lilly-white hand
makes my heart bleed.
38
Thou hadst twenty ships hither,thou'st have twenty away;
Then hold thy hand, Spencer,
I dearly thee pray.
281
HUGH SPENCER'S FEATS IN FRANCE—C
[_]
Dr Joseph Robertson's Journal of Excursions, No 4; taken down from a man in the parish of Leochel, Aberdeenshire, 13 February, 1829.
1
It fell about the Martinmas timeThe wind blew loud and cauld,
And all the knichts of fair Scotland
They drew them to sum hald.
2
Unless it was him young Sir Hugh,And he beet to sail the sea,
Wi a letter between twa kings, to see an they
wald lat down the wars,
And live and lat them be.
3
On Friday shipped he, and langEre Wodensday at noon
In fair France landed he,
[OMITTED]
4
He fell down before the King,On his bare knees:
‘Gude mak ye safe and soun;’
‘Fat news o your contrie?’ he says.
5
‘The news o our countrie,’ he says,‘Is but news brought over the sea,
To see an ye'll lat down the wars,
And live and lat them be.’
6
‘Deed no,’ he says;‘I'm but an auld man indeed,
But I'll no lat down the wars,
And live and lat them be.’
7
It's out it spak the Queen hersel: I have a shepherd's sinWould fight an hour wi you;
‘And by my seeth,’ says young Sir Hugh,
‘That sight fain would I see.’
8
The firsten steed that he drew out,He was the penny-gray;
He wad hae ridden oer meel or mor
A leve-lang summer's day.
9
O girths they brak, and great horse lap,But still sat he on he:
‘A girth, a girth,’ says young Sir Hugh,
‘A girth for charity!’
‘O every girth that you shall have,
Its gude lord shall hae three.’
10
The nexten steed that he drew out,He was the penny-brown;
He wad hae ridden oer meel or mor
As ever the dew drap down.
11
O bridles brak, and great horse lap,But still sat he on he:
‘A bridle, a bridle,’ says young Sir Hugh,
‘A bridle for charitie!’
‘O every bridle that you shall have,
And its gude lord shall have three.’
12
The nexten steed that he drew outHe was the raven-black;
His een was glancin in his head
Like wild-fire in a slack;
‘Get here a boy,’ says young Sir Hugh,
‘Cast on the saddle on that.’
13
O brands there brak, and great horse lap,But still sat he on he:
‘A brand, a brand,’ says young Sir Hugh,
‘A brand for charitie!’
‘O every brand that you sall have,
And its gude lord sall have three.’
14
He gave him a dep unto the heart,And over the steed fell he:
‘I rather had gane you money,’ she says,
‘And free lands too,
That ye had foughten an hour wi him,
And than had latten him be.’
15
‘If ye hae ony mair shepherd's sins,’ he says,‘Or cooks i your kitchie,
Or ony mair dogs to fell,
Ye'll bring them here to me;
And gin they be a true-hearted Scotsman,
They'll no be scorned by thee.’
282
159
DURHAM FIELD
Durham ffeilde
284
1
Lordinges, listen, and hold you still;Hearken to me a litle;
I shall you tell of the fairest battell
That euer in England beffell.
2
For as it befell in Edward the Thirds dayes,In England, where he ware the crowne,
Then all the cheefe chiualry of England
They busked and made them bowne.
3
They chosen all the best archersThat in England might be found,
And all was to fight with the king of Ffrance,
Within a litle stounde.
4
And when our king was ouer the water,And on the salt sea gone,
Then tydings into Scotland came
That all England was gone.
5
Bowes and arrowes they were all forth,At home was not left a man
But shepards and millers both,
And preists with shauen crownes.
6
Then the king of Scotts in a study stood,As he was a man of great might;
He sware he wold hold his parlament in leeue London,
If he cold ryde there right.
7
Then bespake a squier, of Scottland borne,And sayd, My leege, apace,
Before you come to leeue London,
Full sore you'le rue that race.
8
Ther beene bold yeomen in merry England,Husbandmen stiffe and strong;
Sharpe swords they done weare,
Bearen bowes and arrowes longe.
9
The King was angrye at that word;A long sword out hee drew,
And there befor his royall companye
His owne squier hee slew.
10
Hard hansell had the Scottes that day,That wrought them woe enoughe,
For then durst not a Scott speake a word
Ffor hanging att a boughe.
11
‘The Earle of Anguish, where art thou?In my coate-armor thou shalt bee,
And thou shalt lead the forward
Thorrow the English countrye.
12
‘Take thee Yorke,’ then sayd the King,‘In stead wheras it doth stand;
I'le make thy eldest sonne after thee
Heyre of all Northumberland.
13
‘The Earle of Vaughan, where be yee?In my coate-armor thou shalt bee;
The high Peak and Darbyshire
I giue it thee to thy fee.’
14
Then came in famous Douglas,Saies, What shall my meede bee?
And I'le lead the vawward, lord,
Thorow the English countrye.
15
‘Take thee Worster,’ sayd the King,‘Tuxburye, Killingworth, Burton vpon Trent;
Doe thou not say another day
But I haue giuen thee lands and rent.
16
‘Sir Richard of Edenborrow, where are yee?A wise man in this warr!
I'le giue thee Bristow and the shire
The time that wee come there.
17
‘My lord Nevill, where beene yee?You must in this warres bee;
I'le giue thee Shrewsburye,’ saies the King,
‘And Couentrye faire and free.
285
18
‘My lord of Hambleton, where art thou?Thou art of my kin full nye;
I'le giue thee Lincolne and Lincolneshire,
And that's enouge for thee.’
19
By then came in William Douglas,As breeme as any bore;
He kneeled him downe vpon his knees,
In his hart he sighed sore.
20
Saies, I haue serued you, my louelye leege,This thirty winters and four,
And in the Marches betweene England and Scottland
I haue beene wounded and beaten sore.
21
For all the good service that I haue done,What shall my meed bee?
And I will lead the vanward
Thorrow the English countrye.
22
‘Aske on, Douglas,’ said the king,‘And granted it shall bee:’
‘Why then, I aske litle London,’ saies William Douglas,
‘Gotten giff that it bee.’
23
The King was wrath, and rose away,Saies, Nay, that cannot bee!
For that I will keepe for my cheefe chamber,
Gotten if it bee.
24
But take thee North Wales and Weschaster,The cuntrye all round about,
And rewarded thou shalt bee,
Of that take thou noe doubt.
25
Fiue score knights he made on a day,And dubbd them with his hands;
Rewarded them right worthilye
With the townes in merry England.
26
And when the fresh knights they were made,To battell the buske them bowne;
Iames Douglas went before,
And he thought to haue wonnen him shoone.
27
But the were mett in a morning of MayWith the comminaltye of litle England;
But there scaped neuer a man away,
Through the might of Christës hand.
28
But all onely Iames Douglas;In Durham in the ffeild
An arrow stroke him in the thye;
Fast flinge[s he] towards the King.
29
The King looked toward litle Durham,Saies, All things is not well!
For Iames Dowglas beares an arrow in his thye,
The head of it is of steele.
30
‘How now Iames?’ then said the King,‘How now, how may this bee?
And where beene all thy merrymen
That thou tooke hence with thee?’
31
‘But cease, my king,’ saies Iames Douglas,‘Aliue is not left a man!’
‘Now by my faith,’ saies the king of Scottes,
‘That gate was euill gone.
32
‘But I'le reuenge thy quarrell well,And of that thou may be faine;
For one Scott will beate fiue Englishmen,
If the meeten them on the plaine.’
33
‘Now hold your tounge,’ saies Iames Douglas,‘For in faith that is not soe;
For one English man is worth fiue Scotts,
When they meeten together thoe.
34
‘For they are as egar men to fightAs a faulcon vpon a pray;
Alas! if euer the winne the vanward,
There scapes noe man away.’
35
‘O peace thy talking,’ said the King,‘They bee but English knaues,
But shepards and millers both,
And preists with their staues.’
36
The King sent forth one of his heralds of armesTo vew the Englishmen:
‘Be of good cheere,’ the herald said,
‘For against one wee bee ten.’
37
‘Who leades those ladds?’ said the king of Scottes,‘Thou herald, tell thou mee:’
The herald said, The Bishopp of Durham
Is captaine of that companye.
38
‘For the Bishopp hath spred the King's banner,And to battell he buskes him bowne:’
286
‘I'le rapp that preist on the crowne.’
39
The King looked towards litle Durham,And that hee well beheld,
That the Earle Percy was well armed,
With his battell-axe entred the feild.
40
The King looket againe towards litle Durham,Four ancyents there see hee;
There were to standards, six in a valley,
He cold not see them with his eye.
41
My Lord of Yorke was one of them,My Lord of Carlile was the other,
And my Lord Ffluwilliams,
The one came with the other.
42
The Bishopp of Durham commanded his men,And shortlye he them bade,
That neuer a man shold goe to the feild to fight
Till he had serued his God.
43
Fiue hundred preists said masse that dayIn Durham in the feild,
And afterwards, as I hard say,
They bare both speare and sheeld.
44
The Bishopp of Durham orders himselfe to fight,With his battell-axe in his hand;
He said, This day now I will fight
As long as I can stand!
45
‘And soe will I,’ sayd my Lord of Carlile,‘In this faire morning gay;’
‘And soe will I,’ said my Lord Ffluwilliams,
‘For Mary, that myld may.’
46
Our English archers bent their bowesShortlye and anon;
They shott ouer the Scottish oast
And scantlye toucht a man.
47
‘Hold downe your hands,’ sayd the Bishopp of Durham,‘My archers good and true:’
The second shoote that the shott,
Full sore the Scottes itt rue.
48
The Bishopp of Durham spoke on hye,That both partyes might heare:
‘Be of good cheere, my merrymen all,
The Scotts flyen, and changen there cheere.’
49
But as the saidden, soe the didden,They fell on heapës hye;
Our Englishmen laid on with their bowes,
As fast as they might dree.
50
The king of Scotts in a studye stoodAmongst his companye;
An arrow stoke him thorrow the nose,
And thorrow his armorye.
51
The King went to a marsh-sideAnd light beside his steede;
He leaned him downe on his sword-hilts,
To let his nose bleede.
52
There followed him a yeaman of merry England,His name was Iohn of Coplande:
‘Yeeld thee, traytor!’ saies Coplande then,
‘Thy liffe lyes in my hand.’
53
‘How shold I yeeld me,’ sayes the King,‘And thou art noe gentleman?’
‘Noe, by my troth,’ sayes Copland there,
‘I am but a poore yeaman.
54
‘What art thou better then I, Sir King?Tell me if that thou can!
What art thou better then I, Sir King,
Now we be but man to man?’
55
The King smote angerly at Copland then,Angerly in that stonde;
And then Copland was a bold yeaman,
And bore the King to the ground.
56
He sett the King upon a palfrey,Himselfe upon a steede;
He tooke him by the bridle-rayne,
Towards London he can him lead.
57
And when to London that he came,The King from Ffrance was new come home,
And there unto the king of Scottes
He sayd these words anon.
58
‘How like you my shepards and my millers?My priests with shaven crownes?’
287
That ever I mett on the ground.
59
‘There was never a yeaman in merry EnglandBut he was worth a Scottish knight:’
‘I, by my troth,’ said King Edward, and laughe,
‘For you fought all against the right.’
60
But now the prince of merry England,Worthilye under his sheelde,
Hath taken the king of Ffrance,
At Poytiers in the ffeelde.
61
The prince did present his father with that food,The louely king off Ffrance,
And fforward of his iourney he is gone:
God send us all good chance!
62
‘You are welcome, brother!’ sayd the king ofScotts, to the king of Ffrance,
‘For I am come hither to soone;
Christ leeve that I had taken my way
Unto the court of Roome!’
63
‘And soe wold I,’ said the king of Ffrance,‘When I came over the streame,
That I had taken my iourney
Unto Ierusalem!’
64
Thus ends the battell of ffaire Durham,In one morning of May,
The battell of Cressey, and the battle of Potyers,
All within one monthës day.
65
Then was welthe and welfare in mery England,Solaces, game, and glee,
And every man loved other well,
And the King loved good yeomanrye.
66
But God that made the grasse to growe,And leaves on greenwoode tree,
Now save and keepe our noble king,
And maintaine good yeomanry!
288
160
THE KNIGHT OF LIDDESDALE
THE KNIGHT OF LIDDESDALE
The Countesse of Douglas out of her boure she came,And loudly there that she did call:
‘It is for the Lord of Liddesdale
That I let all these teares downe fall.’
289
161
THE BATTLE OF OTTERBURN
295
THE BATTLE OF OTTERBURN—A
1
Yt fell abowght the Lamasse tyde,Whan husbondes wynnes ther haye,
The dowghtye Dowglasse bowynd hym to ryde,
In Ynglond to take a praye.
2
The yerlle of Fyffe, wythowghten stryffe,He bowynd hym over Sulway;
The grete wolde ever to-gether ryde;
That raysse they may rewe for aye.
3
Over Hoppertope hyll they cam in,And so down by Rodclyffe crage;
Vpon Grene Lynton they lyghted dowyn,
Styrande many a stage.
4
And boldely brente Northomberlond,And haryed many a towyn;
They dyd owr Ynglyssh men grete wrange,
To batell that were not bowyn.
5
Than spake a berne vpon the bent,Of comforte that was not colde,
And sayd, We haue brente Northomber-lond,
We haue all welth in holde.
6
Now we haue haryed all Bamborowe schyre,All the welth in the worlde haue wee,
I rede we ryde to Newe Castell,
So styll and stalworthlye.
7
Vpon the morowe, when it was day,The standerds schone full bryght;
296
And thether they cam full ryght.
8
Syr Henry Perssy laye at the New Castell,I tell yow wythowtten drede;
He had byn a march-man all hys dayes,
And kepte Barwyke vpon Twede.
9
To the Newe Castell when they cam,The Skottes they cryde on hyght,
‘Syr Hary Perssy, and thou byste within,
Com to the fylde, and fyght.
10
‘For we haue brente Northomberlonde,Thy erytage good and ryght,
And syne my logeyng I haue take
Wyth my brande dubbyd many a knyght.’
11
Syr Harry Perssy cam to the walles,The Skottyssch oste for to se,
And sayd, And thou hast brente Northomber-lond,
Full sore it rewyth me.
12
Yf thou hast haryed all Bamborowe schyre,Thow hast done me grete envye;
For the trespasse thow hast me done,
The tone of vs schall dye.
13
‘Where schall I byde the?’ sayd the Dowglas,‘Or where wylte thow com to me?’
‘At Otterborne, in the hygh way,
[T]her mast thow well logeed be.
14
‘[T]he roo full rekeles ther sche rinnes,[T]o make the game a[nd] glee;
[T]he fawken and the fesaunt both,
Among the holtes on hye.
15
‘Ther mast thow haue thy welth at wyll,Well looged ther mast be;
Yt schall not be long or I com the tyll,’
Sayd Syr Harry Perssye.
16
‘Ther schall I byde the,’ sayd the Dowglas,‘By the fayth of my bodye:’
‘Thether schall I com,’ sayd Syr Harry Perssy,
‘My trowth I plyght to the.’
17
A pype of wyne he gaue them over the walles,For soth as I yow saye;
Ther he mayd the Dowglasse drynke,
And all hys ost that daye.
18
The Dowglas turnyd hym homewarde agayne,For soth withowghten naye;
He toke hys logeyng at Oterborne,
Vpon a Wedynsday.
19
And ther he pyght hys standerd dowyn,Hys gettyng more and lesse,
And syne he warned hys men to goo
To chose ther geldynges gresse.
20
A Skottysshe knyght hoved vpon the bent,A wache I dare well saye;
So was he ware on the noble Perssy,
In the dawnyng of the daye.
21
He prycked to hys pavyleon-dore,As faste as he myght ronne;
‘Awaken, Dowglas,’ cryed the knyght,
‘For hys love that syttes in trone.
22
‘Awaken, Dowglas,’ cryed the knyght,‘For thow maste waken wyth wynne;
Yender haue I spyed the prowde Perssye,
And seven stondardes wyth hym.’
23
‘Nay by my trowth,’ the Dowglas sayed,‘It ys but a fayned taylle;
He durst not loke on my brede banner
For all Ynglonde so haylle.
24
‘Was I not yesterdaye at the Newe Castell,That stondes so fayre on Tyne?
For all the men the Perssy had,
He coude not garre me ones to dyne.’
25
He stepped owt at his pavelyon-dore,To loke and it were lesse:
‘Araye yow, lordynges, one and all,
For here bygynnes no peysse.
26
‘The yerle of Mentaye, thow arte my eme,The fowarde I gyve to the:
The yerlle of Huntlay, cawte and kene,
He schall be wyth the.
27
‘The lorde of Bowghan, in armure bryght,On the other hand he schall be;
Lord Jhonstoune and Lorde Maxwell,
They to schall be wyth me.
28
‘Swynton, fayre fylde vpon your pryde!To batell make yow bowen
297
Syr Jhon of Agurstone!’
29
The Perssy cam byfore hys oste,Wych was ever a gentyll knyght;
Vpon the Dowglas lowde can he crye,
‘I wyll holde that I haue hyght.
30
‘For thou haste brente Northomberlonde,And done me grete envye;
For thys trespasse thou hast me done,
The tone of vs schall dye.’
31
The Dowglas answerde hym agayne,Wyth grett wurdes vpon hye,
And sayd, I haue twenty agaynst thy one,
Byholde, and thou maste see.
32
Wyth that the Perssy was grevyd sore,For soth as I yow saye;
He lyghted dowyn vpon his foote,
And schoote hys horsse clene awaye.
33
Euery man sawe that he dyd soo,That ryall was euer in rowght;
Euery man schoote hys horsse hym froo,
And lyght hym rowynde abowght.
34
Thus Syr Hary Perssye toke the fylde,For soth as I yow saye;
Jhesu Cryste in hevyn on hyght
Dyd helpe hym well that daye.
35
But nyne thowzand, ther was no moo,The cronykle wyll not layne;
Forty thowsande of Skottes and fowre
That day fowght them agayne.
36
But when the batell byganne to ioyne,In hast ther cam a knyght;
The letters fayre furth hath he tayne,
And thus he sayd full ryght:
37
‘My lorde your father he gretes yow well,Wyth many a noble knyght;
He desyres yow to byde
That he may see thys fyght.
38
‘The Baron of Grastoke ys com out of the west,Wyth hym a noble companye;
All they loge at your fathers thys nyght,
And the batell fayne wolde they see.’
39
‘For Jhesus love,’ sayd Syr Harye Perssy,‘That dyed for yow and me,
Wende to my lorde my father agayne,
And saye thow sawe me not wyth yee.
40
‘My trowth ys plyght to yonne Skottysh knyght,It nedes me not to layne,
That I schulde byde hym vpon thys bent,
And I haue hys trowth agayne.
41
‘And if that I w[e]ynde of thys growende,For soth, onfowghten awaye,
He wolde me call but a knowarde knyght
In hys londe another daye.
42
‘Yet had I lever to be rynde and rente,By Mary, that mykkel maye,
Then ever my manhood schulde be reprovyd
Wyth a Skotte another day.
43
‘Wherfore schote, archars, for my sake,And let scharpe arowes flee;
Mynstrells, playe vp for your waryson,
And well quyt it schall bee.
44
‘Euery man thynke on hys trewe-love,And marke hym to the Trenite;
For to God I make myne avowe
Thys day wyll I not flee.’
45
The blodye harte in the Dowglas armes,Hys standerde stode on hye,
That euery man myght full well knowe;
By syde stode starrës thre.
46
The whyte lyon on the Ynglyssh perte,For soth as I yow sayne,
The lucettes and the cressawntes both;
The Skottes favght them agayne.
47
Vpon Sent Androwe lowde can they crye,And thrysse they schowte on hyght,
And syne merked them one owr Ynglysshe men,
As I haue tolde yow ryght.
48
Sent George the bryght, owr ladyes knyght,To name they were full fayne;
Owr Ynglyssh men they cryde on hyght,
And thrysse the schowtte agayne.
49
Wyth that scharpe arowes bygan to flee,I tell yow in sertayne;
298
Many a dowghty man was ther slayne.
50
The Perssy and the Dowglas mette,That ether of other was fayne;
They swapped together whyll that the swette,
Wyth swordes of fyne collayne:
51
Tyll the bloode from ther bassonnettes ranne,As the roke doth in the rayne;
‘Yelde the to me,’ sayd the Dowglas,
‘Or elles thow schalt be slayne.
52
‘For I see by thy bryght bassonet,Thow arte sum man of myght;
And so I do by thy burnysshed brande;
Thow arte an yerle, or elles a knyght.’
53
‘By my good faythe,’ sayd the noble Perssye,‘Now haste thow rede full ryght;
Yet wyll I never yelde me to the,
Whyll I may stonde and fyght.’
54
They swapped together whyll that they swette,Wyth swordës scharpe and long;
Ych on other so faste thee beette,
Tyll ther helmes cam in peyses dowyn.
55
The Perssy was a man of strenghth,I tell yow in thys stounde;
He smote the Dowglas at the swordës length
That he felle to the growynde.
56
The sworde was scharpe, and sore can byte,I tell yow in sertayne;
To the harte he cowde hym smyte,
Thus was the Dowglas slayne.
57
The stonderdes stode styll on eke a syde,Wyth many a grevous grone;
Ther the fowght the day, and all the nyght,
And many a dowghty man was slayne.
58
Ther was no freke that ther wolde flye,But styffely in stowre can stond,
Ychone hewyng on other whyll they myght drye,
Wyth many a bayllefull bronde.
59
Ther was slayne vpon the Skottës syde,For soth and sertenly,
Syr James a Dowglas ther was slayne,
That day that he cowde dye.
60
The yerlle of Mentaye he was slayne,Grysely groned vpon the growynd;
Syr Davy Skotte, Syr Water Stewarde,
Syr Jhon of Agurstoune.
61
Syr Charllës Morrey in that place,That never a fote wold flee;
Syr Hewe Maxwell, a lorde he was,
Wyth the Dowglas dyd he dye.
62
Ther was slayne vpon the Skottës syde,For soth as I yow saye,
Of fowre and forty thowsande Scottes
Went but eyghtene awaye.
63
Ther was slayne vpon the Ynglysshe syde,For soth and sertenlye,
A gentell knyght, Syr Jhon Fechewe,
Yt was the more pety.
64
Syr James Hardbotell ther was slayne,For hym ther hartes were sore;
The gentyll Lovell ther was slayne,
That the Perssys standerd bore.
65
Ther was slayne vpon the Ynglyssh perte,For soth as I yow saye,
Of nyne thowsand Ynglyssh men
Fyve hondert cam awaye.
66
The other were slayne in the fylde;Cryste kepe ther sowlles from wo!
Seyng ther was so fewe fryndes
Agaynst so many a foo.
67
Then on the morne they mayde them beerysOf byrch and haysell graye;
Many a wydowe, wyth wepyng teyres,
Ther makes they fette awaye.
68
Thys fraye bygan at Otterborne,Bytwene the nyght and the day;
Ther the Dowglas lost hys lyffe,
And the Perssy was lede awaye.
69
Then was ther a Scottysh prisoner tayne,Syr Hewe Mongomery was hys name;
For soth as I yow saye,
He borowed the Perssy home agayne.
70
Now let vs all for the Perssy prayeTo Jhesu most of myght,
To bryng hys sowlle to the blysse of heven,
For he was a gentyll knyght.
299
THE BATTLE OF OTTERBURN—B
[_]
a. Herd's MS., I, 149, II, 30; Herd's Scottish Songs, 1776, I, 153. b. Scott's Minstrelsy, I, 31, 1802, “corrected” from Herd, 1776, “by a MS. copy.”
1
It fell and about the Lammas time,When husbandmen do win their hay,
Earl Douglass is to the English woods,
And a' with him to fetch a prey.
2
He has chosen the Lindsays light,With them the gallant Gordons gay,
And the Earl of Fyfe, withouten strife,
And Sir Hugh Montgomery upon a grey.
3
They have taken Northumberland,And sae hae they the north shire,
And the Otter Dale, they hae burnt it hale,
And set it a' into fire.
4
Out then spake a bonny boy,That servd ane o Earl Douglass kin;
Methinks I see an English host,
A-coming branken us upon.
5
‘If this be true, my little boy,And it be troth that thou tells me,
The brawest bower in Otterburn
This day shall be thy morning-fee.
6
‘But if it be fase, my little boy,But and a lie that thou tells me,
On the highest tree that's in Otterburn
With my ain hands I'll hing thee high.’
7
The boy's taen out his little penknife,That hanget low down by his gare,
And he gaed Earl Douglass a deadly wound,
Alack! a deep wound and a sare.
8
Earl Douglas said to Sir Hugh Montgomery,Take thou the vanguard o the three,
And bury me at yon braken-bush,
That stands upon yon lilly lee.
9
Then Percy and Montgomery met,And weel a wot they warna fain;
They swaped swords, and they twa swat,
And ay the blood ran down between.
10
‘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?’
11
‘O yield thee to yon braken-bush,That grows upon yon lilly lee;
[OMITTED]
[OMITTED]
12
‘I winna yield to a braken-bush,Nor yet will I unto a brier;
But I would yield to Earl Douglass,
Or Sir Hugh Montgomery, if he was here.’
13
As soon as he knew it was Montgomery,He stuck his sword's point in the ground,
And Sir Hugh Montgomery was a courteous knight,
And he quickly broght him by the hand.
14
This deed was done at Otterburn,About the breaking of the day;
Earl Douglass was buried at the braken-bush,
And Percy led captive away.
THE BATTLE OF OTTERBURN—C
[_]
Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border, 1833, I, 345. B completed by two copies “obtained from the recitation of old persons residing at the head of Ettrick Forest.”
1
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.
2
He chose the Gordons and the Grœmes,With them the Lindesays, light and gay;
But the Jardines wald not with him ride,
And they rue it to this day.
3
And he has burnd the dales of Tyne,And part of Bambrough shire,
And three good towers on Reidswire fells,
He left them all on fire.
4
And he marchd up to Newcastle,And rode it round about:
‘O wha's the lord of this castle?
Or wha's the lady o't?’
300
5
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.
6
‘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.’
7
He took a lang spear in his hand,Shod with the metal free,
And for to meet the Douglas there
He rode right furiouslie.
8
But O how pale his lady lookd,Frae aff the castle-wa,
When down before the Scottish spear
She saw proud Percy fa.
9
‘Had we twa been upon the green,And never an eye to see,
I wad hae had you, flesh and fell;
But your sword sall gae wi me.’
10
‘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.’
11
‘The Otterbourne's a bonnie burn;'Tis pleasant there to be;
But there is nought at Otterbourne
To feed my men and me.
12
‘The deer rins wild on hill and dale,The birds fly wild from tree to tree;
But there is neither bread nor kale
To fend my men and me.
13
‘Yet I will stay at Otterbourne,Where you shall welcome be;
And, if ye come not at three dayis end,
A fause lord I'll ca thee.’
14
‘Thither will I come,’ proud Percy said,‘By the might of Our Ladye;’
‘There will I bide thee,’ said the Douglas,
‘My troth I plight to thee.’
15
They lighted high on Otterbourne,Upon the bent sae brown;
They lighted high on Otterbourne,
And threw their pallions down.
16
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.
17
But up then spake a little page,Before the peep of dawn:
‘O waken ye, waken ye, my good lord,
For Percy's hard at hand.’
18
‘Ye lie, ye lie, ye liar loud!Sae loud I hear ye lie:
For Percy had not men yestreen
To dight my men and me.
19
‘But I have dreamd a dreary dream,Beyond the Isle of Sky;
I saw a dead man win a fight,
And I think that man was I.’
20
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.
21
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.
22
But Percy with his good broad sword,That could so sharply wound,
Has wounded Douglas on the brow,
Till he fell to the ground.
23
Then he calld on his little foot-page,And said, Run speedilie,
And fetch my ain dear sister's son,
Sir Hugh Montgomery.
24
‘My nephew good,’ the Douglas said,‘What recks the death of ane!
Last night I dreamd a dreary dream,
And I ken the day's thy ain.
25
‘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.
26
‘O bury me by the braken-bush,Beneath the blooming brier;
Let never living mortal ken
That ere a kindly Scot lies here.’
301
27
He lifted up that noble lord,Wi the saut tear in his ee;
He hid him in the braken-bush,
That his merrie men might not see.
28
The moon was clear, the day drew near,The spears in flinders flew,
But mony a gallant Englishman
Ere day the Scotsmen slew.
29
The Gordons good, in English bloodThey steepd their hose and shoon;
The Lindsays flew like fire about,
Till all the fray was done.
30
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.
31
‘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?’
32
‘Thou shalt not yield to lord nor loun,Nor yet shalt thou yield to me;
But yield thee to the braken-bush,
That grows upon yon lilye lee.’
33
‘I will not yield to a braken-bush,Nor yet will I yield to a brier;
But I would yield to Earl Douglas,
Or Sir Hugh the Montgomery, if he were here.’
34
As soon as he knew it was Montgomery,He struck his sword's point in the gronde;
The Montgomery was a courteous knight,
And quickly took him by the honde.
35
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.
THE BATTLE OF OTTERBURN—D
1
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.
2
Wi nine waggons scaling wide,And seven banners bearing high;
It wad do any living gude
To see their bonny colours fly.
THE BATTLE OF OTTERBURN—E
‘O yield thee to yon braken-bush,That grows upon yon lilly lie;
For there lies aneth yon braken-bush
What aft has conquerd mae than thee.’
303
162
THE HUNTING OF THE CHEVIOT
307
THE HUNTING OF THE CHEVIOT—A
[_]
MS. Ashmole, 48, Bodleian Library, in Skeat's Specimens of English Literature, 1394-1579, ed. 1880, p. 67.
1
The Persë owt off Northombarlonde,and avowe to God mayd he
That he wold hunte in the mowntayns
off Chyviat within days thre,
In the magger of doughtë Dogles,
and all that euer with him be.
2
The fattiste hartes in all Cheviathe sayd he wold kyll, and cary them away:
‘Be my feth,’ sayd the dougheti Doglas agayn,
‘I wyll let that hontyng yf that I may.’
3
The[n] the Persë owt off Banborowe cam,with him a myghtee meany,
With fifteen hondrith archares bold off blood and bone;
the wear chosen owt of shyars thre.
4
This begane on a Monday at morn,in Cheviat the hillys so he;
The chylde may rue that ys vn-born,
it wos the mor pittë.
5
The dryvars thorowe the woodës went,for to reas the dear;
Bomen byckarte vppone the bent
with ther browd aros cleare.
6
Then the wyld thorowe the woodës went,on euery sydë shear;
Greahondes thorowe the grevis glent,
for to kyll thear dear.
7
This begane in Chyviat the hyls abone,yerly on a Monnyn-day;
Be that it drewe to the oware off none,
a hondrith fat hartës ded ther lay.
8
The blewe a mort vppone the bent,the semblyde on sydis shear;
To the quyrry then the Persë went,
to se the bryttlynge off the deare.
9
He sayd, It was the Duglas promysthis day to met me hear;
But I wyste he wolde faylle, verament;
a great oth the Persë swear.
10
At the laste a squyar off Northomberlondelokyde at his hand full ny;
He was war a the doughetie Doglas commynge,
with him a myghttë meany.
11
Both with spear, bylle, and brande,yt was a myghtti sight to se;
Hardyar men, both off hart nor hande,
wear not in Cristiantë.
308
12
The wear twenti hondrith spear-men good,withoute any feale;
The wear borne along be the watter a Twyde,
yth bowndës of Tividale.
13
‘Leave of the brytlyng of the dear,’ he sayd,‘and to your boÿs lock ye tayk good hede;
For neuer sithe ye wear on your mothars borne
had ye neuer so mickle nede.’
14
The dougheti Dogglas on a stede,he rode alle his men beforne;
His armor glytteryde as dyd a glede;
a boldar barne was never born.
15
‘Tell me whos men ye ar,’ he says,‘or whos men that ye be:
Who gave youe leave to hunte in this Chyviat chays,
in the spyt of myn and of me.’
16
The first mane that ever him an answear mayd,yt was the good lord Persë:
‘We wyll not tell the whoys men we ar,’ he says,
‘nor whos men that we be;
But we wyll hounte hear in this chays,
in the spyt of thyne and of the.
17
‘The fattiste hartës in all Chyviatwe haue kyld, and cast to carry them away:’
‘Be my troth,’ sayd the doughetë Dogglas agay[n],
‘therfor the ton of vs shall de this day.’
18
Then sayd the doughtë Doglasunto the lord Persë:
‘To kyll alle thes giltles men,
alas, it wear great pittë!
19
‘But, Persë, thowe art a lord of lande,I am a yerle callyd within my contrë;
Let all our men vppone a parti stande,
and do the battell off the and of me.’
20
‘Nowe Cristes cors on his crowne,’ sayd the lorde Persë,‘who-so-euer ther-to says nay!
Be my troth, doughttë Doglas,’ he says,
‘thow shalt neuer se that day.
21
‘Nethar in Ynglonde, Skottlonde, nar France,nor for no man of a woman born,
But, and fortune be my chance,
I dar met him, on man for on.’
22
Then bespayke a squyar off Northombarlonde,Richard Wytharyngton was him nam;
‘It shall neuer be told in Sothe-Ynglonde,’ he says,
‘to Kyng Herry the Fourth for sham.
23
‘I wat youe byn great lordës twaw,I am a poor squyar of lande;
I wylle neuer se my captayne fyght on a fylde,
and stande my selffe and loocke on,
But whylle I may my weppone welde,
I wylle not [fayle] both hart and hande.’
24
That day, that day, that dredfull day!the first fit here I fynde;
And youe wyll here any mor a the hountynge a the Chyviat,
yet ys ther mor behynde.
25
The Yngglyshe men hade ther bowys yebent,ther hartes wer good yenoughe;
The first off arros that the shote off,
seven skore spear-men the sloughe.
26
Yet byddys the yerle Doglas vppon the bent,a captayne good yenoughe,
And that was sene verament,
for he wrought hom both woo and wouche.
27
The Dogglas partyd his ost in thre,lyk a cheffe cheften off pryde;
With suar spears off myghttë tre,
the cum in on euery syde;
28
Thrughe our Yngglyshe archerygave many a wounde fulle wyde;
Many a doughetë the garde to dy,
which ganyde them no pryde.
29
The Ynglyshe men let ther boÿs be,and pulde owt brandes that wer brighte;
It was a hevy syght to se
bryght swordes on basnites lyght.
30
Thorowe ryche male and myneyeple,many sterne the strocke done streght;
Many a freyke that was fulle fre,
ther vndar foot dyd lyght.
309
31
At last the Duglas and the Persë met,lyk to captayns of myght and of mayne;
The swapte togethar tylle the both swat,
with swordes that wear of fyn myllan.
32
Thes worthë freckys for to fyght,ther-to the wear fulle fayne,
Tylle the bloode owte off thear basnetes sprente,
as euer dyd heal or ra[y]n.
33
‘Yelde the, Persë,’ sayde the Doglas,‘and i feth I shalle the brynge
Wher thowe shalte haue a yerls wagis
of Jamy our Skottish kynge.
34
‘Thoue shalte haue thy ransom fre,I hight the hear this thinge;
For the manfullyste man yet art thowe
that euer I conqueryd in filde fighttynge.’
35
‘Nay,’ sayd the lord Persë,‘I tolde it the beforne,
That I wolde neuer yeldyde be
to no man of a woman born.’
36
With that ther cam an arrowe hastely,forthe off a myghttë wane;
Hit hathe strekene the yerle Duglas
in at the brest-bane.
37
Thorowe lyvar and longës bathethe sharpe arrowe ys gane,
That neuer after in all his lyffe-days
he spayke mo wordës but ane:
That was, Fyghte ye, my myrry men, whyllys ye may,
for my lyff-days ben gan.
38
The Persë leanyde on his brande,and sawe the Duglas de;
He tooke the dede mane by the hande,
and sayd, Wo ys me for the!
39
‘To haue savyde thy lyffe, I wolde haue partyde withmy landes for years thre,
For a better man, of hart nare of hande,
was nat in all the north contrë.’
40
Off all that se a Skottishe knyght,was callyd Ser Hewe the Monggombyrry;
He sawe the Duglas to the deth was dyght,
he spendyd a spear, a trusti tre.
41
He rod vppone a corsiarethroughe a hondrith archery:
He neuer stynttyde, nar neuer blane,
tylle he cam to the good lord Persë.
42
He set vppone the lorde Persëa dynte that was full soare;
With a suar spear of a myghttë tre
clean thorow the body he the Persë ber,
43
A the tothar syde that a man myght sea large cloth-yard and mare:
Towe bettar captayns wear nat in Cristiantë
then that day slan wear ther.
44
An archar off Northomberlondesay slean was the lord Persë;
He bar a bende bowe in his hand,
was made off trusti tre.
45
An arow that a cloth-yarde was langto the harde stele halyde he;
A dynt that was both sad and soar
he sat on Ser Hewe the Monggombyrry.
46
The dynt yt was both sad and sarthat he of Monggomberry sete;
The swane-fethars that his arrowe bar
with his hart-blood the wear wete.
47
Ther was neuer a freake wone foot wolde fle,but still in stour dyd stand,
Heawyng on yche othar, whylle the myghte dre,
with many a balfull brande.
48
This battell begane in Chyviatan owar befor the none,
And when even-songe bell was rang,
the battell was nat half done.
49
The tocke [OMITTED] on ethar handebe the lyght off the mone;
Many hade no strenght for to stande,
in Chyviat the hillys abon.
50
Of fifteen hondrith archars of Ynglondewent away but seuenti and thre;
Of twenti hondrith spear-men of Skotlonde,
but even five and fifti.
51
But all wear slayne Cheviat within;the hade no streng[th]e to stand on hy;
310
it was the mor pittë.
52
Thear was slayne, withe the lord Persë,Ser Johan of Agerstone,
Ser Rogar, the hinde Hartly,
Ser Wyllyam, the bolde Hearone.
53
Ser Jorg, the worthë Loumle,a knyghte of great renowen,
Ser Raff, the ryche Rugbe,
with dyntes wear beaten dowene.
54
For Wetharryngton my harte was wo,that euer he slayne shulde be;
For when both his leggis wear hewyne in to,
yet he knyled and fought on hys kny.
55
Ther was slayne, with the dougheti Duglas,Ser Hewe the Monggombyrry,
Ser Dauy Lwdale, that worthë was,
his sistars son was he.
56
Ser Charls a Murrë in that place,that neuer a foot wolde fle;
Ser Hewe Maxwelle, a lorde he was,
with the Doglas dyd he dey.
57
So on the morrowe the mayde them byearsoff birch and hasell so g[r]ay;
Many wedous, with wepyng tears,
cam to fache ther makys away.
58
Tivydale may carpe off care,Northombarlond may mayk great mon,
For towe such captayns as slayne wear thear
on the March-parti shall neuer be non.
59
Word ys commen to Eddenburrowe,to Jamy the Skottishe kynge,
That dougheti Duglas, lyff-tenant of the Marches,
he lay slean Chyviot within.
60
His handdës dyd he weal and wryng,he sayd, Alas, and woe ys me!
Such an othar captayn Skotland within,
he sayd, ye-feth shuld neuer be.
61
Worde ys commyn to lovly Londone,till the fourth Harry our kynge,
That lord Persë, leyff-tenante of the Marchis,
he lay slayne Chyviat within.
62
‘God haue merci on his solle,’ sayde Kyng Harry,‘good lord, yf thy will it be!
I haue a hondrith captayns in Ynglonde,’ he sayd,
‘as good as euer was he:
But, Persë, and I brook my lyffe,
thy deth well quyte shall be.’
63
As our noble kynge mayd his avowe,lyke a noble prince of renowen,
For the deth of the lord Persë
he dyde the battell of Hombyll-down;
64
Wher syx and thrittë Skottishe knyghteson a day wear beaten down;
Glendale glytteryde on ther armor bryght,
over castille, towar, and town.
65
This was the hontynge off the Cheviat,that tear begane this spurn;
Old men that knowen the grownde well yenoughe
call it the battell of Otterburn.
66
At Otterburn begane this spurne,vppone a Monnynday;
Ther was the doughtë Doglas slean,
the Persë neuer went away.
67
Ther was neuer a tym on the Marche-partëssen the Doglas and the Persë met,
But yt ys mervele and the rede blude ronne not,
as the reane doys in the stret.
68
Ihesue Crist our balys bete,and to the blys vs brynge!
Thus was the hountynge of the Chivyat:
God send vs alle good endyng!
311
Chevy Chase
THE HUNTING OF THE CHEVIOT—B
[_]
a. Percy MS., p. 188, Hales and Furnivall, II, 7. b. Pepys Ballads, I, 92, No 45, broadside printed for M. G. c. Douce Ballads, fol. 27b, and Roxburghe Ballads, III, 66, broadside printed for F. Coles, T. Vere, and J. Wright. d. Wood's Ballads, 401, 48, broadside printed for F. Coles, T. Vere, and W. Gilbertson. e. Bagford Ballads, I, No 32, broadside printed by and for W. Onley. f. A Scottish. copy, without printer.
1
God prosper long our noble king,our liffes and saftyes all!
A woefull hunting once there did
in Cheuy Chase befall.
2
To driue the deere with hound and horneErle Pearcy took the way:
The child may rue that is vnborne
the hunting of that day!
3
The stout Erle of Northumberlanda vow to God did make
His pleasure in the Scottish woods
three sommers days to take,
4
The cheefest harts in Cheuy C[h]aseto kill and beare away:
These tydings to Erle Douglas came
in Scottland, where he lay.
5
Who sent Erle Pearcy present wordhe wold prevent his sport;
The English erle, not fearing that,
did to the woods resort,
6
With fifteen hundred bowmen bold,all chosen men of might,
Who knew ffull well in time of neede
to ayme their shafts arright.
7
The gallant greyhound[s] swiftly ranto chase the fallow deere;
On Munday they began to hunt,
ere daylight did appeare.
8
And long before high noone the hada hundred fat buckes slaine;
Then hauing dined, the drouyers went
to rouze the deare againe.
9
The bowmen mustered on the hills,well able to endure;
Theire backsids all with speciall care
that day were guarded sure.
10
The hounds ran swiftly through the woodsthe nimble deere to take,
That with their cryes the hills and dales
an eccho shrill did make.
11
Lord Pearcy to the querry wentto veiw the tender deere;
Quoth he, Erle Douglas promised once
this day to meete me heere;
12
But if I thought he wold not come,noe longer wold I stay.
With that a braue younge gentlman
thus to the erle did say:
13
‘Loe, yonder doth Erle Douglas come,hys men in armour bright;
Full twenty hundred Scottish speres
all marching in our sight.
14
‘All men of pleasant Tiuydale,fast by the riuer Tweede:’
‘O ceaze your sportts!’ Erle Pearcy said,
‘and take your bowes with speede.
15
‘And now with me, my countrymen,your courage forth advance!
For there was neuer champion yett,
in Scottland nor in Ffrance,
16
‘That euer did on horsbacke come,[but], and if my hap it were,
I durst encounter man for man,
with him to breake a spere.’
17
Erle Douglas on his milke-white steede,most like a baron bold,
Rode formost of his company,
whose armor shone like gold.
18
‘Shew me,’ sayd hee, ‘whose men you beethat hunt soe boldly heere,
That without my consent doe chase
and kill my fallow deere.’
19
The first man that did answer makewas noble Pearcy hee,
Who sayd, Wee list not to declare
nor shew whose men wee bee;
20
‘Yett wee will spend our deerest bloodthy cheefest harts to slay.’
312
and thus in rage did say:
21
‘Ere thus I will outbraued bee,one of vs tow shall dye;
I know thee well, an erle thou art;
Lord Pearcy, soe am I.
22
‘But trust me, Pearcye, pittye it were,and great offence, to kill
Then any of these our guiltlesse men,
for they haue done none ill.
23
‘Let thou and I the battell trye,and set our men aside:’
‘Accurst bee [he!]’ Erle Pearcye sayd,
‘by whome it is denyed.’
24
Then stept a gallant squire forth—Witherington was his name—
Who said, ‘I wold not haue it told
to Henery our king, for shame,
25
‘That ere my captaine fought on foote,and I stand looking on.
You bee two Erles,’ quoth Witheringhton,
and I a squier alone;
26
‘I'le doe the best that doe I may,while I haue power to stand;
While I haue power to weeld my sword,
I'le fight with hart and hand.’
27
Our English archers bent their bowes;their harts were good and trew;
Att the first flight of arrowes sent,
full foure score Scotts the slew.
28
To driue the deere with hound and horne,Dauglas bade on the bent;
Two captaines moued with mickle might,
their speres to shiuers went.
29
They closed full fast on euerye side,noe slacknes there was found,
But many a gallant gentleman
lay gasping on the ground.
30
O Christ! it was great greeue to seehow eche man chose his spere,
And how the blood out of their brests
did gush like water cleare.
31
At last these two stout erles did meet,like captaines of great might;
Like lyons woode they layd on lode;
the made a cruell fight.
32
The fought vntill they both did sweat,with swords of tempered steele,
Till blood downe their cheekes like raine
the trickling downe did feele.
33
‘O yeeld thee, Pearcye!’ Douglas sayd,‘and in faith I will thee bringe
Where thou shall high advanced bee
by Iames our Scottish king.
34
‘Thy ransome I will freely giue,and this report of thee,
Thou art the most couragious knight
[that ever I did see.]’
35
‘Noe, Douglas!’ quoth Erle Percy then,‘thy profer I doe scorne;
I will not yeelde to any Scott
that euer yett was borne!’
36
With that there came an arrow keene,out of an English bow,
Which stoke Erle Douglas on the brest
a deepe and deadlye blow.
37
Who neuer sayd more words then these:Fight on, my merry men all!
For why, my life is att [an] end,
lord Pearcy sees my fall.
38
Then leauing liffe, Erle Pearcy tookethe dead man by the hand;
Who said, ‘Erle Dowglas, for thy life,
wold I had lost my land!
39
‘O Christ! my verry hart doth bleedfor sorrow for thy sake,
For sure, a more redoubted knight
mischance cold neuer take.’
40
A knight amongst the Scotts there waswhich saw Erle Douglas dye,
Who streight in hart did vow revenge
vpon the Lord Pearcye.
41
Sir Hugh Mountgomerye was he called,who, with a spere full bright,
313
ran feircly through the fight,
42
And past the English archers all,without all dread or feare,
And through Erle Percyes body then
he thrust his hatfull spere.
43
With such a vehement force and mighthis body he did gore,
The staff ran through the other side
a large cloth-yard and more.
44
Thus did both those nobles dye,whose courage none cold staine;
An English archer then perceiued
the noble erle was slaine.
45
He had [a] good bow in his hand,made of a trusty tree;
An arrow of a cloth-yard long
to the hard head haled hee.
46
Against Sir Hugh Mountgomeryehis shaft full right he sett;
The grey-goose-winge that was there-on
in his harts bloode was wett.
47
This fight from breake of day did lasttill setting of the sun,
For when the rung the euening-bell
the battele scarse was done.
48
With stout Erle Percy there was slaineSir Iohn of Egerton,
Sir Robert Harcliffe and Sir William,
Sir Iames, that bold barron.
49
And with Sir George and Sir Iames,both knights of good account,
Good Sir Raphe Rebbye there was slaine,
whose prowesse did surmount.
50
For Witherington needs must I wayleas one in dolefull dumpes,
For when his leggs were smitten of,
he fought vpon his stumpes.
51
And with Erle Dowglas there was slaineSir Hugh Mountgomerye,
And Sir Charles Morrell, that from feelde
one foote wold neuer flee;
52
Sir Roger Heuer of Harcliffe tow,his sisters sonne was hee;
Sir David Lambwell, well esteemed,
but saved he cold not bee.
53
And the Lord Maxwell, in like case,with Douglas he did dye;
Of twenty hundred Scottish speeres,
scarce fifty-fiue did flye.
54
Of fifteen hundred Englishmenwent home but fifty-three;
The rest in Cheuy Chase were slaine,
vnder the greenwoode tree.
55
Next day did many widdowes cometheir husbands to bewayle;
They washt their wounds in brinish teares,
but all wold not prevayle.
56
Theyr bodyes, bathed in purple blood,the bore with them away;
They kist them dead a thousand times
ere the were cladd in clay.
57
The newes was brought to Eddenborrow,where Scottlands king did rayne,
That braue Erle Douglas soddainlye
was with an arrow slaine.
58
‘O heauy newes!’ King Iames can say;‘Scottland may wittenesse bee
I haue not any captaine more
of such account as hee.’
59
Like tydings to King Henery came,within as short a space,
That Pearcy of Northumberland
was slaine in Cheuy Chase.
60
‘Now God be with him!’ said our king,‘sith it will noe better bee;
I trust I haue within my realme
fiue hundred as good as hee.
61
‘Yett shall not Scotts nor Scottland saybut I will vengeance take,
And be revenged on them all
for braue Erle Percyes sake.’
62
This vow the king did well performeafter on Humble-downe;
314
with lords of great renowne.
63
And of the rest, of small account,did many hundreds dye:
Thus endeth the hunting in Cheuy Chase,
made by the Erle Pearcye.
64
God saue our king, and blesse this landwith plentye, ioy, and peace,
And grant hencforth that foule debate
twixt noble men may ceaze!
316
163
THE BATTLE OF HARLAW
318
THE BATTLE OF HARLAW—A
[_]
a. Communicated by Charles Elphinstone Dalrymple, Esq., of Kinaldie, Aberdeenshire, in 1888, as obtained from the country people by himself and his brother fifty years before. b. Notes and Queries, Third Series, VII, 393, communicated by A. Ferguson.
1
As I cam in by Dunidier,An doun by Netherha,
There was fifty thousand Hielanmen
A-marching to Harlaw.
Wi a dree dree dradie drumtie dree.
2
As I cam on, an farther on,An doun an by Balquhain,
Oh there I met Sir James the Rose,
Wi him Sir John the Gryme.
3
‘O cam ye frae the Hielans, man?An cam ye a' the wey?
Saw ye Macdonell an his men,
As they cam frae the Skee?’
4
‘Yes, me cam frae ta Hielans, man,An me cam a' ta wey,
An she saw Macdonell an his men,
As they cam frae ta Skee.’
5
‘Oh was ye near Macdonell's men?Did ye their numbers see?
Come, tell to me, John Hielanman,
What micht their numbers be?’
6
‘Yes, me was near, an near eneuch,An me their numbers saw;
There was fifty thousan Hielanmen
A-marchin to Harlaw.’
7
‘Gin that be true,’ says James the Rose,‘We'll no come meikle speed;
We'll cry upo our merry men,
And lichtly mount our steed.’
8
‘Oh no, oh no,’ says John the Gryme,‘That thing maun never be;
The gallant Grymes were never bate,
We'll try phat we can dee.’
9
As I cam on, an farther on,An doun an by Harlaw,
319
Sic fun ye never saw.
10
They fell fu close on ilka side,Sic fun ye never saw;
For Hielan swords gied clash for clash,
At the battle o Harlaw.
11
The Hielanmen, wi their lang swords,They laid on us fu sair,
An they drave back our merry men
Three acres breadth an mair.
12
Brave Forbës to his brither did say,Noo brither, dinna ye see?
They beat us back on ilka side,
An we'se be forced to flee.
13
‘Oh no, oh no, my brither dear,That thing maun never be;
Tak ye your good sword in your hand,
An come your wa's wi me.’
14
‘Oh no, oh no, my brither dear,The clans they are ower strang,
An they drive back our merry men,
Wi swords baith sharp an lang.’
15
Brave Forbës drew his men aside,Said, Tak your rest a while,
Until I to Drumminnor send,
To fess my coat o mail.
16
The servan he did ride,An his horse it did na fail,
For in twa hours an a quarter
He brocht the coat o mail.
17
Then back to back the brithers twaGaed in amo the thrang,
An they hewed doun the Hielanmen,
Wi swords baith sharp an lang.
18
Macdonell, he was young an stout,Had on his coat o mail,
An he has gane oot throw them a',
To try his han himsell.
19
The first ae straik that Forbës strack,He garrt Macdonell reel,
An the neist ae straik that Forbës strack,
The great Macdonell fell.
20
An siccan a lierachieI'm sure ye never saw
As wis amo the Hielanmen,
When they saw Macdonell fa.
21
An whan they saw that he was deid,They turnd an ran awa,
An they buried him in Leggett's Den,
A large mile frae Harlaw.
22
They rade, they ran, an some did gang,They were o sma record;
But Forbës an his merry men,
They slew them a' the road.
23
On Monanday, at mornin,The battle it began,
On Saturday, at gloamin,
Ye'd scarce kent wha had wan.
24
An sic a weary buryinI'm sure ye never saw
As wis the Sunday after that,
On the muirs aneath Harlaw.
25
Gin ony body speer at youFor them ye took awa,
Ye may tell their wives and bairnies
They're sleepin at Harlaw.
THE BATTLE OF HARLAW—B
1
As I cam thro the Garrioch land,And in by Over Ha,
There was sixty thousan Highland men
Marching to Harlaw.
11
The Highland men, with their broad sword,Pushd on wi might and power,
Till they bore back the red-coat lads
Three furlongs long, and more.
15
Lord Forbës calld his men aside,Says, Take your breath awhile,
Until I send my servant now
To bring my coat o mail.
320
164
KING HENRY FIFTH'S CONQUEST OF FRANCE
KING HENRY FIFTH'S CONQUEST OF FRANCE
[_]
a-d, broadsides. a. Among Percy's papers. b. Roxburghe Ballads, III, 358. c. Jewitt's Ballads and Songs of Derbyshire, p. 1. d. Chetham's Library, Manchester, in Hales and Furnivall, Percy's Folio MS., II, 597. e. Percy papers, “taken down from memory.” f. Nicolas, History of the Battle of Agincourt, 1832, Appendix, p. 78, from the recitation of a very aged person. g. The same, p. 80, source not mentioned. h. Tyler, Henry of Monmouth, II, 197, apparently from memory. i. Percy Society, XVII, Dixon, Ancient Poems, etc., p. 52, from singing. j. Skene MS., p. 42. k. Macmath MS., p. 27, from tradition. 1, m. Buchan's MSS, I, 176, II, 124, probably broadside or stall copies.
323
1
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.
Fal, lal, etc.
2
He called for his lovely page,His lovely page then called he,
Saying, You must go to the king of France,
To the king of France, sir, ride speedily.
3
O then went away this lovely page,This lovely page then away went he;
And when he came to the king of France,
Low he fell down on his bended knee.
4
‘My master greets you, worthy sir;Ten ton of gold that is due to he,
That you will send him his tribute home,
Or in French land you soon will him see.’
5
‘Your master's young and of tender years,Not fit to come into my degree,
And I will send him three tennis-balls,
That with them he may learn to play.’
6
O then returned this lovely page,This lovely page then returned he,
And when he came to our gracious king,
Low he fell down on his bended knee.
7
‘What news, what news, my trusty page?What is the news you have trought to me?’
‘I have brought such news from the king of France
That you and he will never agree.
8
‘He says you're young and of tender years,Not fit to come into his degree,
And he will send you three tennis-balls,
That with them you may learn to play.’
9
‘Recruit me Cheshire and Lancashire,And Derby Hills that are so free;
No marryd man nor no widow's son;
For no widow's curse shall go with me.’
10
They recruited Cheshire and Lancashire,And Derby Hills that are so free;
No marryd man, nor no widow's son;
Yet there was a jovial bold company.
11
O then we marchd into the French land,With drums and trumpets so merrily;
And then bespoke the king of France,
‘Lo, yonder comes proud King Henry.’
12
The first shot that the Frenchmen gave,They killd our Englishmen so free;
We killd ten thousand of the French,
And the rest of them they ran away.
13
And then we marched to Paris gates,With drums and trumpets so merrily:
O then bespoke the king of France,
‘The Lord have mercy on my men and me!
14
‘O I will send him his tribute home,Ten ton of gold that is due to he,
And the finest flower that is in all France
To the Rose of England I will give free.’
327
165
SIR JOHN BUTLER
Sir Iohn Butler
329
1
But word is come to Warrington,And Busye Hall is laid about;
Sir Iohn Butler and his merry men
Stand in ffull great doubt.
2
When they came to Busye HallItt was the merke midnight,
And all the bridges were vp drawen,
And neuer a candle-light.
3
There they made them one good boate,All of one good bull skinn;
William Sauage was one of the ffirst
That euer came itt within.
4
Hee sayled ore his merrymen,By two and two together,
And said itt was as good a bote
As ere was made of lether.
5
‘Waken you, waken you, deare ffather!God waken you within!
For heere is your vnckle Standlye
Come your hall within.’
6
‘If that be true, Ellen Butler,These tydings you tell mee,
A hundred pound in good redd gold
This night will not borrow mee.’
7
Then came downe Ellen ButlerAnd into her ffathers hall,
And then came downe Ellen Butler,
And shee was laced in pall.
8
‘Where is thy ffather, Ellen Butler?Haue done, and tell itt mee:’
‘My ffather is now to London ridden,
As Christ shall haue part of mee.’
9
‘Now nay, now nay, Ellen Butler,Ffor soe itt must not bee;
Ffor ere I goe fforth of this hall,
Your ffather I must see.’
10
The sought that hall then vp and downeTheras Iohn Butler lay;
The sought that hall then vp and downe
Theras Iohn Butler lay.
11
Ffaire him ffall, litle Holcrofft!Soe merrilye he kept the dore,
Till that his head ffrom his shoulders
Came tumbling downe the ffloore.
12
‘Yeeld thee, yeelde thee, Iohn Butler!Yeelde thee now to mee!’
‘I will yeelde me to my vnckle Stanlye,
And neere to ffalse Peeter Lee.’
330
13
‘A preist, a preist,’ saies Ellen Butler,‘To housle and to shriue!
A preist, a preist,’ sais Ellen Butler,
‘While that my father is a man aliue!’
14
Then bespake him William Sauage,A shames death may hee dye!
Sayes, He shall haue no other preist
But my bright sword and mee.
15
The Ladye Butler is to London rydden,Shee had better haue beene att home;
Shee might haue beggd her owne marryed lord
Att her good brother Iohn.
16
And as shee lay in leeue London,And as shee lay in her bedd,
Shee dreamed her owne marryed lord
Was swiminnge in blood soe red.
17
Shee called vp her merry men all,Long ere itt was day;
Saies, Wee must ryde to Busye Hall,
With all speed that wee may.
18
Shee mett with three Kendall men,Were ryding by the way:
‘Tydings, tydings, Kendall men,
I pray you tell itt mee!’
19
‘Heauy tydings, deare madam;Ffrom you wee will not leane;
The worthyest knight in merry England,
Iohn Butler, Lord! hee is slaine!’
20
‘Ffarewell, ffarwell, Iohn Butler!Ffor thee I must neuer see:
Ffarewell, ffarwell, Busiye Hall!
For thee I will neuer come nye.’
21
Now Ladye Butler is to London againe,In all the speed might bee,
And when shee came before her prince,
Shee kneeled low downe on her knee.
22
‘A boone, a boone, my leege!’ shee sayes,‘Ffor Gods loue grant itt mee!’
‘What is thy boone, Lady Butler?
Or what wold thou haue of mee?
23
‘What is thy boone, Lady Butler?Or what wold thou haue of mee?’
‘That ffalse Peeres of Lee, and my brother Stanley,
And William Sauage, and all, may dye.’
24
‘Come you hither, Lady Butler,Come you ower this stone;
Wold you haue three men ffor to dye,
All ffor the losse off one?
25
‘Come you hither, Lady Butler,With all the speed you may;
If thou wilt come to London, Lady Butler,
Thou shalt goe home Lady Gray.’
331
166
THE ROSE OF ENGLAND
The Rose of Englande
332
1
Throughout a garden greene and gay,A seemlye sight itt was to see
How fflowers did flourish fresh and gay,
And birds doe sing melodiouslye.
2
In the midst of a garden there sprange a tree,Which tree was of a mickle price,
And there vppon sprang the rose soe redd,
The goodlyest that euer sprange on rise.
3
This rose was ffaire, ffresh to behold,Springing with many a royall lance;
A crowned king, with a crowne of gold,
Ouer England, Ireland, and of Ffrance.
4
Then came in a beast men call a bore,And he rooted this garden vpp and downe;
By the seede of the rose he sett noe store,
But afterwards itt wore the crowne.
5
Hee tooke the branches of this rose away,And all in sunder did them teare,
And he buryed them vnder a clodd of clay,
Swore they shold neuer bloome nor beare.
6
Then came in an egle gleaming gay,Of all ffaire birds well worth the best;
He took the branche of the rose away,
And bore itt to Latham to his nest.
7
But now is this rose out of England exiled,This certaine truth I will not laine;
But if itt please you to sitt a while,
I'le tell you how the rose came in againe.
8
Att Milford Hauen he entered in;To claime his right, was his delight;
He brought the blew bore in with him,
To encounter with the bore soe white.
9
The[n] a messenger the rose did sendTo the egles nest, and bidd him hye:
‘To my ffather, the old egle, I doe [me] comend,
His aide and helpe I craue speedylye.’
10
Saies, I desire my father att my comingeOf men and mony att my need,
And alsoe my mother of her deer blessing;
The better then I hope to speede.
11
And when the messenger came before thold egle,He kneeled him downe vpon his knee;
Saith, Well greeteth you my lord the rose,
He hath sent you greetings here by me.
12
Safe ffrom the seas Christ hath him sent,Now he is entered England within:
‘Let vs thanke God,’ the old egle did say,
‘He shall be the fflower of all his kine.
13
‘Wend away, messenger, with might and maine;Itt's hard to know who a man may trust;
I hope the rose shall fflourish againe,
And haue all things att his owne lust.’
14
Then Sir Rice ap Thomas drawes Wales with him;A worthy sight itt was to see,
How the Welchmen rose wholy with him,
And shogged them to Shrewsburye.
15
Att that time was baylye in ShrewsburyeOne Master Mitton, in the towne;
The gates were strong, and he mad them ffast,
And the portcullis he lett downe.
16
And throug a garrett of the walls,Ouer Severne these words said hee;
‘Att these gates no man enter shall;’
But he kept him out a night and a day.
333
17
These words Mitton did Erle Richmond tell(I am sure the chronicles of this will not lye);
But when lettres came from Sir William Stanley of the Holt castle,
Then the gates were opened presentlye.
18
Then entred this towne the noble lord,The Erle Richmond, the rose soe redd;
The Erle of Oxford, with a sword,
Wold haue smitt of the bailiffes head.
19
‘But hold your hand,’ saies Erle Richmond,‘Ffor his loue that dyed vpon a tree!
Ffor if wee begin to head so soone,
In England wee shall beare no degree.’
20
‘What offence haue I made thee,’ sayd Erle Richmonde,‘That thou kept me out of my towne?’
‘I know no king,’ sayd Mitton then,
‘But Richard now, that weares the crowne.’
21
‘Why, what wilt thou say,’ said Erle Richmonde,‘When I haue put King Richard downe?’
‘Why, then Ile be as true to you, my lord,
After the time that I am sworne.’
22
‘Were itt not great pitty,’ sayd Erle Richmond,‘That such a man as this shold dye,
Such loyall service by him done?
(The cronickles of this will not lye.)
23
‘Thou shalt not be harmed in any case;’He pardone[d] him presentlye;
They stayd not past a night and a day,
But towards Newport did they hye.
24
But [at] Attherston these lords did meete;A worthy sight itt was to see,
How Erle Richmond tooke his hatt in his hand,
And said, Cheshire and Lancashire, welcome to me!
25
But now is a bird of the egle taken;Ffrom the white bore he cannot fflee;
Therfore the old egle makes great moane,
And prayes to God most certainly.
26
‘O stedfast God, verament,’ he did say,‘Thre persons in one god in Trinytye,
Saue my sonne, the young egle, this day
Ffrom all ffalse craft and trecherye!’
27
Then the blew bore the vanward had;He was both warry and wise of witt;
The right hand of them he tooke,
The sunn and wind of them to gett.
28
Then the egle ffollowed fast vpon his pray,With sore dints he did them smyte;
The talbott he bitt wonderous sore,
Soe well the vnicorne did him quite.
29
And then came in the harts head;A worthy sight itt was to see,
The iacketts that were of white and redd,
How they laid about them lustilye.
30
But now is the ffeirce ffeeld foughten and ended,And the white bore there lyeth slaine,
And the young egle is preserued,
And come to his nest againe.
31
But now this garden fflourishes ffreshly and gay,With ffragrant fflowers comely of hew,
And gardners itt doth maintaine;
I hope they will proue iust and true.
32
Our king, he is the rose soe redd,That now does fflourish ffresh and gay:
Confound his ffoes, Lord, wee beseeche,
And loue His Grace both night and day!
334
167
SIR ANDREW BARTON
338
Andrew Bartton
SIR ANDREW BARTON—A
1
As itt beffell in m[i]dsumer-time,When burds singe sweetlye on euery tree,
Our noble king, King Henery the Eighth,
Ouer the riuer of Thames past hee.
2
Hee was no sooner ouer the riuer,Downe in a fforrest to take the ayre,
But eighty merchants of London cittye
Came kneeling before King Henery there.
3
‘O yee are welcome, rich merchants,[Good saylers, welcome unto me!’]
339
But rich merchants they cold not bee.
4
‘To Ffrance nor Fflanders dare we nott passe,Nor Burdeaux voyage wee dare not ffare,
And all ffor a ffalse robber that lyes on the seas,
And robb[s] vs of our merchants-ware.’
5
King Henery was stout, and he turned him about,And swore by the Lord that was mickle of might,
‘I thought he had not beene in the world throughout
That durst haue wrought England such vnright.’
6
But euer they sighed, and said, alas!Vnto King Harry this answere againe:
‘He is a proud Scott that will robb vs all
If wee were twenty shipps and hee but one.’
7
The king looket ouer his left shoulder,Amongst his lords and barrons soe ffree:
‘Haue I neuer lord in all my realme
Will ffeitch yond traitor vnto mee?’
8
‘Yes, that dare I!’ sayes my lord Chareles Howard,Neere to the king wheras hee did stand;
‘If that Your Grace will giue me leaue,
My selfe wilbe the only man.’
9
‘Thou shalt haue six hundred men,’ saith our king,‘And chuse them out of my realme soe ffree;
Besids marriners and boyes,
To guide the great shipp on the sea.’
10
‘I'le goe speake with Sir Andrew,’ sais Charles, my lord Haward;‘Vpon the sea, if hee be there;
I will bring him and his shipp to shore,
Or before my prince I will neuer come neere.’
11
The ffirst of all my lord did call,A noble gunner hee was one;
This man was three score yeeres and ten,
And Peeter Simon was his name.
12
‘Peeter,’ sais hee, ‘I must sayle to the sea,To seeke out an enemye; God be my speed!’
Before all others I haue chosen thee;
Of a hundred guners thoust be my head.’
13
‘My lord,’ sais hee, ‘if you haue chosen meeOf a hundred gunners to be the head,
Hange me att your maine-mast tree
If I misse my marke past three pence bread.’
14
The next of all my lord he did call,A noble bowman hee was one;
In Yorekeshire was this gentleman borne,
And William Horsley was his name.
15
‘Horsley,’ sayes hee, ‘I must sayle to the sea,To seeke out an enemye; God be my speede!
Before all others I haue chosen thee;
Of a hundred bowemen thoust be my head.’
16
‘My lord,’ sais hee, ‘if you haue chosen meeOf a hundred bowemen to be the head,
Hang me att your mainemast-tree
If I misse my market past twelue pence bread.’
17
With pikes, and gunnes, and bowemen bold,This noble Howard is gone to the sea
On the day before midsummer-euen,
And out att Thames mouth sayled they.
18
They had not sayled dayes threeVpon their iourney they tooke in hand,
But there they mett with a noble shipp,
And stoutely made itt both stay and stand.
19
‘Thou must tell me thy name,’ sais Charles, my lord Haward,‘Or who thou art, or ffrom whence thou came,
Yea, and where thy dwelling is,
To whom and where thy shipp does belong.’
20
‘My name,’ sayes hee, ‘is Henery Hunt,With a pure hart and a penitent mind;
I and my shipp they doe belong
Vnto the New-castle that stands vpon Tine.’
21
‘Now thou must tell me, Harry Hunt,As thou hast sayled by day and by night,
Hast thou not heard of a stout robber?
Men calls him Sir Andrew Bartton, knight.’
340
22
But euer he sighed, and sayd, Alas!Ffull well, my lord, I know that wight;
He robd me of my merchants ware,
And I was his prisoner but yesternight.
23
As I was sayling vppon the sea,And [a] Burdeaux voyage as I did ffare,
He clasped me to his archborde,
And robd me of all my merchants-ware.
24
And I am a man both poore and bare,And euery man will haue his owne of me,
And I am bound towards London to ffare,
To complaine to my prince Henerye.
25
‘That shall not need,’ sais my lord Haward;‘If thou canst lett me this robber see,
Ffor euery peny he hath taken thee ffroe,
Thou shalt be rewarded a shilling,’ quoth hee.
26
‘Now God fforefend,’ saies Henery Hunt,‘My lord, you shold worke soe ffarr amisse!
God keepe you out of that traitors hands!
For you wott ffull litle what a man hee is.
27
‘Hee is brasse within, and steele without,And beames hee beares in his topcastle stronge;
His shipp hath ordinance cleane round about;
Besids, my lord, hee is verry well mand.
28
‘He hath a pinnace, is deerlye dight,Saint Andrews crosse, that is his guide;
His pinnace beares nine score men and more,
Besids fifteen cannons on euery side.
29
‘If you were twenty shippes, and he but one,Either in archbord or in hall,
He wold ouercome you euerye one,
And if his beames they doe downe ffall.’
30
‘This is cold comfort,’ sais my Lord Haward,‘To wellcome a stranger thus to the sea;
I'le bring him and his shipp to shore,
Or else into Scottland hee shall carrye mee.’
31
‘Then you must gett a noble gunner, my lord,That can sett well with his eye,
And sinke his pinnace into the sea,
And soone then ouercome will hee bee.
32
‘And when that you haue done this,If you chance Sir Andrew for to bord,
Lett no man to his topcastle goe;
And I will giue you a glasse, my lord,
33
‘And then you need to ffeare no Scott,Whether you sayle by day or by night;
And to-morrow, by seuen of the clocke,
You shall meete with Sir Andrew Bartton, knight.
34
‘I was his prisoner but yester night,And he hath taken mee sworne,’ quoth hee;
‘I trust my L[ord] God will me fforgiue
And if that oath then broken bee.
35
‘You must lend me sixe peeces, my lord,’ quoth hee,‘Into my shipp, to sayle the sea,
And to-morrow, by nine of the clocke,
Your Honour againe then will I see.’
36
And the hache-bord where Sir Andrew layIs hached with gold deerlye dight:
‘Now by my ffaith,’ sais Charles, my lord Haward,
‘Then yonder Scott is a worthye wight!
37
‘Take in your ancyents and your standards,Yea that no man shall them see,
And put me fforth a white willow wand,
As merchants vse to sayle the sea.’
38
But they stirred neither top nor mast,But Sir Andrew they passed by:
‘Whatt English are yonder,’ said Sir Andrew,
‘That can so litle curtesye?
39
‘I haue beene admirall ouer the seaMore then these yeeres three;
There is neuer an English dog, nor Portingall,
Can passe this way without leaue of mee.
40
‘But now yonder pedlers, they are past,Which is no litle greffe to me:
Ffeich them backe,’ sayes Sir Andrew Bartton,
‘They shall all hang att my maine-mast tree.’
41
With that the pinnace itt shott of,That my Lord Haward might itt well ken;
Itt stroke downe my lords fforemast,
And killed fourteen of my lord his men.
341
42
‘Come hither, Simon!’ sayes my lord Haward,‘Looke that thy words be true thou sayd;
I'le hang thee att my maine-mast tree
If thou misse thy marke past twelue pence bread.’
43
Simon was old, but his hart itt was bold;Hee tooke downe a peece, and layd itt ffull lowe;
He put in chaine yeards nine,
Besids other great shott lesse and more.
44
With that hee lett his gun-shott goe;Soe well hee settled itt with his eye,
The ffirst sight that Sir Andrew sawe,
Hee see his pinnace sunke in the sea.
45
When hee saw his pinace sunke,Lord! in his hart hee was not well:
‘Cutt my ropes! itt is time to be gon!
I'le goe ffeitch yond pedlers backe my selfe!’
46
When my lord Haward saw Sir Andrew loose,Lord! in his hart that hee was ffaine:
‘Strike on your drummes! spread out your ancyents!
Sound out your trumpetts! sound out amaine!’
47
‘Ffight on, my men!’ sais Sir Andrew Bartton;‘Weate, howsoeuer this geere will sway,
Itt is my lord Adm[i]rall of England
Is come to seeke mee on the sea.’
48
Simon had a sonne; with shott of a gunn—Well Sir Andrew might itt ken—
He shott itt in att a priuye place,
And killed sixty more of Sir Andrews men.
49
Harry Hunt came in att the other syde,And att Sir Andrew hee shott then;
He droue downe his fformast-tree,
And killed eighty more of Sir Andriwes men.
50
‘I haue done a good turne,’ sayes Harry Hunt;‘Sir Andrew is not our kings ffreind;
He hoped to haue vndone me yesternight,
But I hope I haue quitt him well in the end.’
51
‘Euer alas!’ sayd Sir Andrew Barton,‘What shold a man either thinke or say?
Yonder ffalse theeffe is my strongest enemye,
Who was my prisoner but yesterday.
52
‘Come hither to me, thou Gourden good,And be thou readye att my call,
And I will giue thee three hundred pound
If thou wilt lett my beames downe ffall.’
53
With that hee swarued the maine-mast tree,Soe did he itt with might and maine;
Horseley, with a bearing arrow,
Stroke the Gourden through the braine.
54
And he ffell into the haches againe,And sore of this wound that he did bleed;
Then word went throug Sir Andrews men,
That the Gourden hee was dead.
55
‘Come hither to me, Iames Hambliton,Thou art my sisters sonne, I haue no more;
I will giue [thee] six hundred pound
If thou will lett my beames downe ffall.’
56
With that hee swarued the maine-mast tree,Soe did hee itt with might and maine:
Horseley, with another broad arrow,
Strake the yeaman through the braine.
57
That hee ffell downe to the haches againe;Sore of his wound that hee did bleed;
Couetousness getts no gaine,
Itt is verry true, as the Welchman sayd.
58
But when hee saw his sisters sonne slaine,Lord! in his heart hee was not well:
‘Goe ffeitch me downe my armour of proue,
Ffor I will to the topcastle my-selfe.
59
‘Goe ffeitch me downe my armour of prooffe,For itt is guilded with gold soe cleere;
God be with my brother, Iohn of Bartton!
Amongst the Portingalls hee did itt weare.’
60
But when hee had his armour of prooffe,And on his body hee had itt on,
Euery man that looked att him
Sayd, Gunn nor arrow hee neede feare none.
61
‘Come hither, Horsley!’ sayes my lord Haward,‘And looke your shaft that itt goe right;
Shoot a good shoote in the time of need,
And ffor thy shooting thoust be made a knight.’
62
‘I'le doe my best,’ sayes Horslay then,‘Your Honor shall see beffore I goe;
342
I haue in my shipp but arrowes tow.’
63
But att Sir Andrew hee shott then;Hee made sure to hitt his marke;
Vnder the spole of his right arme
Hee smote Sir Andrew quite throw the hart.
64
Yett ffrom the tree hee wold not start,But hee clinged to itt with might and maine;
Vnder the coller then of his iacke,
He stroke Sir Andrew thorrow the braine.
65
‘Ffight on my men,’ sayes Sir Andrew Bartton,‘I am hurt, but I am not slaine;
I'le lay mee downe and bleed a-while,
And then I'le rise and ffight againe.
66
‘Ffight on my men,’ sayes Sir Andrew Bartton,‘These English doggs they bite soe lowe;
Ffight on ffor Scottland and Saint Andrew
Till you heare my whistle blowe!’
67
But when the cold not heare his whistle blow,Sayes Harry Hunt, I'le lay my head
You may bord yonder noble shipp, my lord,
For I know Sir Andrew hee is dead.
68
With that they borded this noble shipp,Soe did they itt with might and maine;
The ffound eighteen score Scotts aliue,
Besids the rest were maimed and slaine.
69
My lord Haward tooke a sword in his hand,And smote of Sir Andrews head;
The Scotts stood by did weepe and mourne,
But neuer a word durst speake or say.
70
He caused his body to be taken downe,And ouer the hatch-bord cast into the sea,
And about his middle three hundred crownes:
‘Whersoeuer thou lands, itt will bury thee.’
71
With his head they sayled into England againe,With right good will, and fforce and main,
And the day beffore Newyeeres euen
Into Thames mouth they came againe.
72
My lord Haward wrote to King Heneryes grace,With all the newes hee cold him bring:
‘Such a Newyeeres gifft I haue brought to your Gr[ace]
As neuer did subiect to any king.
73
‘Ffor merchandyes and manhood,The like is nott to be ffound;
The sight of these wold doe you good,
Ffor you haue not the like in your English ground.’
74
But when hee heard tell that they were come,Full royally hee welcomed them home;
Sir Andrews shipp was the kings Newyeeres guifft;
A brauer shipp you neuer saw none.
75
Now hath our king Sir Andrews shipp,Besett with pearles and precyous stones;
Now hath England two shipps of warr,
Two shipps of warr, before but one.
76
‘Who holpe to this?’ sayes King Henerye,‘That I may reward him ffor his paine:’
‘Harry Hunt, and Peeter Simon,
William Horseleay, and I the same.’
77
‘Harry Hunt shall haue his whistle and chaine,And all his iewells, whatsoeuer they bee,
And other rich giffts that I will not name,
For his good service he hath done mee.
78
‘Horslay, right thoust be a knight,Lands and liuings thou shalt haue store;
Howard shalbe erle of Nottingham,
And soe was neuer Haward before.
79
‘Now, Peeter Simon, thou art old;I will maintaine thee and thy sonne;
Thou shalt haue fiue hundred pound all in gold
Ffor the good service that thou hast done.’
80
Then King Henerye shiffted his roome;In came the Queene and ladyes bright;
Other arrands they had none
But to see Sir Andrew Bartton, knight.
81
But when they see his deadly fface,His eyes were hollow in his head;
‘I wold giue a hundred pound,’ sais King Henerye,
‘The man were aliue as hee is dead!
82
‘Yett ffor the manfull part that hee hath playd,Both heere and beyond the sea,
His men shall haue halfe a crowne a day
To bring them to my brother, King Iamye.’
343
The Life and Death of Sir Andrew Barton; or, Sir Andrew Barton
SIR ANDREW BARTON—B
[_]
a. Douce Ballads, I, 18 b. b. Pepys Ballads, I, 484, No 249. c. Wood Ballads, 401, 55. d. Roxburghe Ballads, I, 2. e. Bagford Ballads, 643, m. 9 (61). f. Bagford Ballads, 643, m. 10 (77). g. Wood Ballads, 402, 37. h. Glenriddell MSS, XI, 20.
1
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,
2
King Henry would a progress ride;Over the river of Thames past he,
Unto a mountain-top also
Did walk, some pleasure for to see.
3
Where forty merchants he espy'd,With fifty sail, come towards him,
Who then no sooner were arriv'd,
But on their knees did thus complain.
4
‘An't please Your Grace, we cannot sailTo France no voyage, to be sure,
But Sir Andrew Barton makes us quail,
And robs us of our merchant-ware.’
5
Vext was the king, and turned him,Said to the lords of high degree,
Have I ner a lord within my realm
Dare fetch that traytor unto me?
6
To him repli'd Lord Charles Howard:I will, my liege, with heart and hand;
If it please you grant me leave, he said,
I will perform what you command.
7
To him then spake King Henry:I fear, my lord, you are too young.
‘No whit at all, my liege,’ quoth he;
‘I hope to prove in valour strong.
8
‘The Scottish knight I vow to seek,In what place soever he be,
And bring a shore, with all his might,
Or into Scotland he shall carry me.’
9
‘A hundred men,’ the king then said,‘Out of my realm shall chosen be,
Besides saylors and ship-boys
To guide a great ship on the sea.
10
‘Bow-men and gunners of good skillShall for this service chosen be,
And they at thy command and will
In all affairs shall wait on thee.’
11
Lord Howard calld a gunner thenWho was the best in all the realm;
His age was threescore years and ten,
And Peter Simon was his name.
12
My lord calld then a bow-man rare,Whose active hands had gained fame,
A gentleman born in Yorkshire,
And William Horsly was his name.
13
‘Horsly,’ quoth he, ‘I must to sea,To seek a traytor, with great speed;
Of a hundred bow-men brave,’ quoth he,
‘I have chosen thee to be the head.’
14
‘If you, my lord, have chosen meOf a hundred men to be the head,
Upon the main-mast I'le hanged be,
If twelve-score I miss one shillings breadth.’
15
Lord Howard then, of courage bold,Went to the sea with pleasant chear,
Not curbd with winters piercing cold,
Though it was the stormy time of the year.
16
Not long he had been on the sea,No more in days then number three,
Till one Henry Hunt he there espied,
A merchant of Newcastle was he.
17
To him Lord Howard cald out amain,And strictly charged him to stand;
Demanding then from whence he came,
Or where he did intend to land.
18
The merchant then made him answer soon,With heavy heart and careful mind,
‘My lord, my ship it doth belong
Unto Newcastle upon Tine.’
19
‘Canst thou shew me,’ the lord did say,‘As thou didst sail by day and night,
A Scottish rover on the sea,
His name is Andrew Barton, knight?’
20
Then to him the merchant sighd and said,With grieved mind and well a way,
‘But over well I know that wight,
I was his prisoner but yesterday.
344
21
‘As I, my lord, did pass from France,A Burdeaux voyage to take so far,
I met with Sir Andrew Barton thence,
Who robd me of my merchant-ware.
22
‘And mickle debts, God knows, I owe,And every man did crave his own;
And I am bound to London now,
Of our gracious king to beg a boon.’
23
‘Shew me him,’ said [Lord] Howard then,‘Let me but once the villain see,
And one penny he hath from the tane,
I'le double the same with shillings three.’
24
‘Now, God forbid,’ the merchant said;‘I fear your aim that you will miss;
God bless you from his tyranny,
For little you know what man he is.
25
‘He is brass within and steel without,His ship most huge and mighty strong,
With eighteen pieces strong and stout,
He carrieth on each side along.
26
‘With beams for his top-castle,As also being huge and high,
That neither English nor Portugal
Can pass Sir Andrew Barton by.’
27
‘Hard news thou shewst,’ then said the lord,‘To welcome strangers to the sea;
But, as I said, I'le bring him aboard,
Or into Scotland he shall carry me.’
28
The merchant said, If you will do so,Take counsel, then, I pray withal:
Let no man to his top-castle go,
Nor strive to let his beam[s] down fall.
29
‘Lend me seven pieces of ordnance then,Of each side of my ship,’ quoth he,
‘And to-morrow, my lord, twixt six and seven,
Again I will Your Honour see.
30
‘A glass I'le set that may be seenWhether you sail by day or night;
And to-morrow, be sure, before seven,
You shall see Sir Andrew Barton, knight.’
31
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.
32
The lord then swore a mighty oath,‘Now by the heavens that be of might,
By faith, believe me, and by troth,
I think he is a worthy knight.
33
‘Fetch me my lyon out of hand,’Saith the lord, ‘with rose and streamer high;
Set up withal a willow-wand,
That merchant-like I [may] pass by.’
34
Thus bravely did Lord Howard pass,And did on anchor rise so high;
No top-sail at all he cast,
But as his foe he did him defie.
35
Sir Andrew Barton seeing himThus scornfully to pass by,
As though he cared not a pin
For him and all his company,
36
Then called he his men amain,‘Fetch back yon pedler now,’ quoth he,
‘And against this way he comes again
I'le teach him well his courtesie.’
37
A piece of ordnance soon was shotBy this proud pirate fiercely then
Into Lord Howards middle deck,
Which cruel shot killd fourteen men.
38
He calld then Peter Simon, he:‘Look now thy word do stand in stead,
For thou shalt be hanged on main-mast
If thou miss twelve score one penny breadth.’
39
Then Peter Simon gave a shotWhich did Sir Andrew mickle scare,
In at his deck it came so hot,
Killd fifteen of his men of war.
40
‘Alas!’ then said the pyrate stout,‘I am in danger now, I see;
This is some lord, I greatly doubt,
That is set on to conquer me.’
41
Then Henry Hunt, with rigor hot,Came bravely on the other side,
Who likewise shot in at his deck,
And kild fifty of his men beside.
42
Then ‘Out, alas!’ Sir Andrew cri'd,‘What may a man now think or say!
Yon merchant thief that pierceth me,
He was my prisoner yesterday.’
345
43
Then did he on Gordion call,Unto top-castle for to go,
And bid his beams he should let fall,
‘For I greatly fear an overthrow.’
44
The lord cald Horsly now in hast:‘Look that thy word stand now in stead,
For thou shalt be hanged on main-mast
If thou miss twelve score one shillings breadth.’
45
Then up [the] mast-tree swarved he,This stout and mighty Gordion;
But Horsly, he most happily
Shot him under the collar-bone.
46
Then calld he on his nephew then,Said, Sisters sons I have no mo;
Three hundred pound I will give thee,
If thou wilt to top-castle go.
47
Then stoutly he began to climb,From off the mast scornd to depart;
But Horsly soon prevented him,
And deadly piercd him to the heart.
48
His men being slain, then up amainDid this proud pyrate climb with speed,
For armour of proof he had put on,
And did not dint of arrow dread.
49
‘Come hither, Horsly,’ said the lord,‘See thine arrow aim aright;
Great means to thee I will afford,
And if you speed, I'le make you a knight.’
50
Sir Andrew did climb up the tree,With right good will and all his main;
Then upon the breast hit Horsly he,
Till the arrow did return again.
51
Then Horsly spied a private place,With a perfect eye, in a secret part;
His arrow swiftly flew apace,
And smote Sir Andrew to the heart.
52
‘Fight on, fight on, my merry men all,A little I am hurt, yet not slain;
I'le but lie down and bleed a while,
And come and fight with you again.
53
‘And do not,’ he said, ‘fear English rogues,And of your foes stand not in awe,
But stand fast by St Andrews cross,
Until you hear my whistle blow.’
54
They never heard his whistle blow,Which made them [all] sore afraid:
Then Horsly said, My lord, aboard,
For now Sir Andrew Barton's dead.
55
Thus boarded they this gallant ship,With right good will and all their main,
Eighteen score Scots alive in it,
Besides as many more were slain.
56
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.’
57
Thus from the wars Lord Howard came,With mickle joy and triumphing;
The pyrates head he brought along
For to present unto our king:
58
Who briefly then to him did say,Before he knew well what was done,
‘Where is the knight and pyrate gay?
That I my self may give the doom.’
59
‘You may thank God,’ then said the lord,‘And four men in the ship,’ quoth he,
‘That we are safely come ashore,
Sith you had never such an enemy:
60
‘That is Henry Hunt, and Peter Simon,William Horsly, and Peters son;
Therefore reward them for their pains,
For they did service at their turn.’
61
To the merchant then the king did say,‘In lue of what he hath from the tane,
I give to the a noble a day,
Sir Andrews whistle and his chain:
62
‘To Peter Simon a crown a day,And half-a-crown a day to Peters son,
And that was for a shot so gay,
Which bravely brought Sir Andrew down.
63
‘Horsly, I will make thee a knight,And in Yorkshire thou shalt dwell:
Lord Howard shall Earl Bury hight,
For this title he deserveth well.
346
64
‘Seven shillings to our English men,Who in this fight did stoutly stand,
And twelve pence a-day to the Scots, till they
Come to my brother kings high land.’
351
168
FLODDEN FIELD
FLODDEN FIELD
[_]
From Deloney's Pleasant History of John Winchcomb, in his younger yeares called Jacke of Newberie, etc., London, 1633; reprinted by J. O. Halliwell, London, 1859, p. 48.
352
1
King Jamie hath made a vow,Keepe it well if he may!
That he will be at lovely London
Upon Saint James his day.
2
‘Upon Saint James his day at noone,At faire London will I be,
And all the lords in merrie Scotland,
They shall dine there with me.’
3
Then bespake good Queene Margaret,The teares fell from her eye:
‘Leave off these warres, most noble king,
Keepe your fidelitie.
4
‘The water runnes swift and wondrous deepe,From bottome unto the brimme;
My brother Henry hath men good enough;
England is hard to winne.’
5
‘Away,’ quoth he, ‘with this silly foole!In prison fast let her lie:
For she is come of the English bloud,
And for these words she shall dye.’
6
With that bespake Lord Thomas Howard,The queenes chamberlaine that day:
‘If that you put Queene Margaret to death,
Scotland shall rue it alway.’
7
Then in a rage King Jamie did say,‘Away with this foolish mome!
He shall be hanged, and the other be burned,
So soone as I come home.’
8
At Flodden Field the Scots came in,Which made our English men faine;
At Bramstone Greene this battaile was seene,
There was King Jamie slaine.
353
9
Then presently the Scots did flie,Their cannons they left behind;
Their ensignes gay were won all away,
Our souldiers did beate them blinde.
10
To tell you plaine, twelve thousand were slaineThat to the fight did stand,
And many prisoners tooke that day,
The best in all Scotland.
11
That day made many [a] fatherlesse child,And many a widow poore,
And many a Scottish gay lady
Sate weeping in her bower.
12
Jack with a feather was lapt all in leather,His boastings were all in vaine;
He had such a chance, with a new morrice-dance,
He never went home againe.
362
169
JOHNIE ARMSTRONG
367
A Northern Ballet; or, A Northern Ballad
JOHNIE ARMSTRONG—A
[_]
a. Wit Restord in severall Select Poems not formerly publisht, London, 1658, p. 30, in Facetiæ, London, 1871, I, 132.
b. Wit and Drollery, London, 1682, p. 57.
1
There dwelt a man in faire Westmerland,Ionnë Armestrong men did him call,
He had nither lands nor rents coming in,
Yet he kept eight score men in his hall.
2
He had horse and harness for them all,Goodly steeds were all milke-white;
O the golden bands an about their necks,
And their weapons, they were all alike.
3
Newes then was brought unto the kingThat there was sicke a won as hee,
That livëd lyke a bold out-law,
And robbëd all the north country.
4
The king he writt an a letter then,A letter which was large and long;
He signëd it with his owne hand,
And he promised to doe him no wrong.
368
5
When this letter came Ionnë untill,His heart it was as blythe as birds on the tree:
‘Never was I sent for before any king,
My father, my grandfather, nor none but mee.
6
‘And if wee goe the king before,I would we went most orderly;
Every man of you shall have his scarlet cloak,
Laced with silver laces three.
7
‘Every won of you shall have his velvett coat,Laced with sillver lace so white;
O the golden bands an about your necks,
Black hatts, white feathers, all alyke.’
8
By the morrow morninge at ten of the clock,Towards Edenburough gon was hee,
And with him all his eight score men;
Good lord, it was a goodly sight for to see!
9
When Ionnë came befower the king,He fell downe on his knee;
‘O pardon, my soveraine leige,’ he said,
‘O pardon my eight score men and mee!’
10
‘Thou shalt have no pardon, thou traytor strong,For thy eight score men nor thee;
For to-morrow morning by ten of the clock,
Both thou and them shall hang on the gallow-tree.’
11
But Ionnë looke'd over his left shoulder,Good Lord, what a grevious look looked hee!
Saying, Asking grace of a graceles face —
Why there is none for you nor me.
12
But Ionnë had a bright sword by his side,And it was made of the mettle so free,
That had not the king stept his foot aside,
He had smitten his head from his faire boddë.
13
Saying, Fight on, my merry men all,And see that none of you be taine;
For rather then men shall say we were hange'd,
Let them report how we were slaine.
14
Then, God wott, faire Eddenburrough rose,And so besett poore Ionnë rounde,
That fowerscore and tenn of Ionnës best men
Lay gasping all upon the ground.
15
Then like a mad man Ionnë laide about,And like a mad man then fought hee,
Untill a falce Scot came Ionnë behinde,
And runn him through the faire boddee.
16
Saying, Fight on, my merry men all,And see that none of you be taine;
For I will stand by and bleed but awhile,
And then will I come and fight againe.
17
Newes then was brought to young Ionnë Armestrong,As he stood by his nurses knee,
Who vowed if ere he live'd for to be a man,
O the treacherous Scots revengd hee'd be.
John Arm-strongs last Good-Night; or, Johnny Armstrongs last Good-Night
JOHNIE ARMSTRONG—B
[_]
a. Wood, 401, fol. 93 b, London, printed for Francis Grove (1620-55?).
b. Pepys, II, 133, No 117, London, printed for W. Thackeray and T. Passenger (1660-82?).
c. A Collection of Old Ballads, 1723, I, 170.
1
Is there never a man in all Scotland,From the highest state to the lowest degree,
That can shew himself now before the king?
Scotland is so full of their traitery.
2
Yes, there is a man in Westmerland,And John Armstrong some do him call;
He has no lands nor rents coming in,
Yet he keeps eightscore men within his hall.
3
He has horse and harness for them all,And goodly steeds that be milk-white,
With their goodly belts about their necks,
With hats and feathers all alike.
4
The king he writ a lovely letter,With his own hand so tenderly,
And has sent it unto John Armstrong,
To come and speak with him speedily.
5
When John he looked the letter upon,Then, Lord! he was as blithe as a bird in a tree:
‘I was never before no king in my life,
My father, my grandfather, nor none of us three.
369
6
‘But seeing we must [go] before the king,Lord! we will go most valiantly;
You shall every one have a velvet coat,
Laid down with golden laces three.
7
‘And you shall every one have a scarlet cloak,Laid down with silver laces five,
With your golden belts about your necks,
With hats [and] brave feathers all alike.’
8
But when John he went from Guiltknock Hall!The wind it blew hard, and full sore it did rain:
‘Now fare you well, brave Guiltknock Hall!
I fear I shall never see thee again.’
9
Now John he is to Edenborough gone,And his eightscore men so gallantly,
And every one of them on a milk-white steed,
With their bucklers and swords hanging down to the knee.
10
But when John he came the king before,With his eightscore men so gallant to see,
The king he moved his bonnet to him;
He thought he had been a king as well as he.
11
‘O pardon, pardon, my soveraign leige,Pardon for my eightscore men and me!
For my name it is John Armstrong,
And a subject of yours, my leige,’ said he.
12
‘Away with thee, thou false traitor!No pardon I will grant to thee,
But, to-morrow before eight of the clock,
I will hang thy eightscore men and thee.’
13
O how John looked over his left shoulder!And to his merry men thus said he:
I have asked grace of a graceless face,
No pardon here is for you nor me.
14
Then John pulld out a nut-brown sword,And it was made of mettle so free;
Had not the king moved his foot as he did,
John had taken his head from his body.
15
‘Come, follow me, my merry men all,We will scorn one foot away to fly;
It never shall be said we were hung like doggs;
No, wee'l fight it out most manfully.’
16
Then they fought on like champions bold —For their hearts was sturdy, stout, and free —
Till they had killed all the kings good guard;
There was none left alive but onely three.
17
But then rise up all Edenborough,They rise up by thousands three;
Then a cowardly Scot came John behind,
And run him thorow the fair body.
18
Said John, Fight on, my merry men all,I am a little hurt, but I am not slain;
I will lay me down for to bleed a while,
Then I'le rise and fight with you again.
19
Then they fought on like mad men all,Till many a man lay dead on the plain;
For they were resolved, before they would yield,
That every man would there be slain.
20
So there they fought couragiously,'Till most of them lay dead there and slain,
But little Musgrave, that was his foot-page,
With his bonny grissell got away untain.
21
But when he came up to Guiltknock Hall,The lady spyed him presently:
‘What news, what news, thou little foot-page?
What news from thy master and his company?’
22
‘My news is bad, lady,’ he said,‘Which I do bring, as you may see;
My master, John Armstrong, he is slain,
And all his gallant company.
23
‘Yet thou are welcome home, my bonny grisel!Full oft thou hast fed at the corn and hay,
But now thou shalt be fed with bread and wine,
And thy sides shall be spurred no more, I say.’
24
O then bespoke his little son,As he was set on his nurses knee:
‘If ever I live for to be a man,
My fathers blood revenged shall be.’
370
Johnie Armstrang
JOHNIE ARMSTRONG—C
[_]
Allan Ramsay, The Ever Green, II, 190, “copied from a gentleman's mouth of the name of Armstrang, who is the 6th generation from this John.”
1
Sum speiks of lords, sum speiks of lairds,And siclyke men of hie degrie;
Of a gentleman I sing a sang,
Sumtyme calld Laird of Gilnockie.
2
The king he wrytes a luving letter,With his ain hand sae tenderly:
And he hath sent it to Johny Armstrang,
To cum and speik with him speidily.
3
The Eliots and Armstrangs did convene,They were a gallant company:
‘We'ill ryde and meit our lawful king,
And bring him safe to Gilnockie.
4
‘Make kinnen and capon ready, then,And venison in great plenty;
We'ill welcome hame our royal king;
I hope he'ill dyne at Gilnockie!’
5
They ran their horse on the Langum howm,And brake their speirs with mekle main;
The ladys lukit frae their loft-windows,
‘God bring our men weil back again!’
6
When Johny came before the king,With all his men sae brave to see,
The king he movit his bonnet to him;
He weind he was a king as well as he.
7
‘May I find grace, my sovereign liege,Grace for my loyal men and me?
For my name it is Johny Armstrang,
And subject of yours, my liege,’ said he.
8
‘Away, away, thou traytor, strang!Out of my sicht thou mayst sune be!
I grantit nevir a traytors lyfe,
And now I'll not begin with thee.’
9
‘Grant me my lyfe, my liege, my king,And a bony gift I will give to thee;
Full four-and-twenty milk-whyt steids,
Were a' foald in a yeir to me.
10
‘I'll gie thee all these milk-whyt steids,That prance and nicher at a speir,
With as mekle gude Inglis gilt
As four of their braid backs dow beir.’
11
‘Away, away, thou traytor strang!Out o' my sicht thou mayst sune be!
I grantit nevir a traytors lyfe,
And now I'll not begin with thee.’
12
‘Grant me my lyfe, my liege, my king,And a bony gift I'll gie to thee;
Gude four-and-twenty ganging mills,
That gang throw a' the yeir to me.
13
‘These four-and-twenty mills completeSall gang for thee throw all the yeir,
And as mekle of gude reid wheit
As all their happers dow to bear.’
14
‘Away, away, thou traytor, strang!Out of my sicht thou mayst sune be!
I grantit nevir a traytors lyfe,
And now I'll not begin with thee.’
15
‘Grant me my lyfe, my liege, my king,And a great gift I'll gie to thee;
Bauld four-and-twenty sisters sons,
Sall for the fecht, tho all sould flee.’
16
‘Away, away, thou traytor, strang!Out of my sicht thou mayst sune be!
I grantit nevir a traytors lyfe,
And now I'll not begin with thee.’
17
‘Grant me my lyfe, my liege, my king,And a brave gift I'll gie to thee;
All betwene heir and Newcastle town
Sall pay thair yeirly rent to thee.’
18
‘Away, away, thou traytor, strang!Out of my sicht thou mayst sune be!
I grantit nevir a traytors lyfe,
And now I'll not begin with thee.’
19
‘Ye lied, ye lied, now, king,’ he says,‘Althocht a king and prince ye be,
For I luid naithing in all my lyfe,
I dare well say it, but honesty;
20
‘But a fat horse, and a fair woman,Twa bony dogs to kill a deir:
But Ingland suld haif found me meil and malt,
Gif I had livd this hundred yeir!
371
21
‘Scho suld haif found me meil and malt,And beif and mutton in all plentie;
But neir a Scots wyfe could haif said
That eir I skaithd her a pure flie.
22
‘To seik het water beneth cauld yce,Surely it is a great folie;
I haif asked grace at a graceless face,
But there is nane for my men and me.
23
‘But had I kend, or I came frae hame,How thou unkynd wadst bene to me,
I wad haif kept the border-syde,
In spyte of all thy force and thee.
24
‘Wist Englands king that I was tane,O gin a blyth man wald he be!
For anes I slew his sisters son,
And on his breist-bane brak a tree.’
25
John wore a girdle about his midle,Imbroiderd owre with burning gold,
Bespangled with the same mettle,
Maist beautifull was to behold.
26
Ther hang nine targats at Johnys hat,And ilk an worth three hundred pound:
‘What wants that knave that a king suld haif,
But the sword of honour and the crown!
27
‘O whair gat thou these targats, Johnie,That blink sae brawly abune thy brie?’
‘I gat them in the field fechting,
Wher, cruel king, thou durst not be.
28
‘Had I my horse, and my harness gude,And ryding as I wont to be,
It sould haif bene tald this hundred yeir
The meiting of my king and me.
29
‘God be withee, Kirsty, my brither,Lang live thou Laird of Mangertoun!
Lang mayst thou live on the border-syde
Or thou se thy brither ryde up and doun.
30
‘And God be withee, Kirsty, my son,Whair thou sits on thy nurses knee!
But and thou live this hundred yeir,
Thy fathers better thoult never be.
31
‘Farweil, my bonny Gilnock-Hall.Whair on Esk-syde thou standest stout!
Gif I had lived but seven yeirs mair,
I wald haif gilt thee round about.’
32
John murdred was at Carlinrigg,And all his galant companie:
But Scotlands heart was never sae wae,
To see sae mony brave men die.
33
Because they savd their country deirFrae Englishmen; nane were sae bauld,
Whyle Johnie livd on the border-syde,
Nane of them durst cum neir his hald.
372
170
THE DEATH OF QUEEN JANE
373
THE DEATH OF QUEEN JANE—A
[_]
Communicated to Percy by the Dean of Derry, as written from memory by his mother, Mrs. Bernard, February, 1776.
1
Queen Jane was in labour full six weeks and more,And the women were weary, and fain would give oer:
‘O women, O women, as women ye be,
Rip open my two sides, and save my baby!’
2
‘O royal Queen Jane, that thing may not be;We'll send for King Henry to come unto thee.’
King Henry came to her, and sate on her bed:
‘What ails my dear lady, her eyes look so red?’
3
‘O royal King Henry, do one thing for me:Rip open my two sides, and save my baby!’
‘O royal Queen Jane, that thing will not do;
If I lose your fair body, I'll lose your baby too.’
4
She wept and she waild, and she wrung her hands sore;O the flour of England must flurish no more!
She wept and she waild till she fell in a swoond,
They opend her two sides, and the baby was found.
5
The baby was christened with joy and much mirth,Whilst poor Queen Jane's body lay cold under earth:
There was ringing and singing and mourning all day,
The princess Eliz[abeth] went weeping away.
6
The trumpets in mourning so sadly did sound,And the pikes and the muskets did trail on the ground.
[OMITTED]
[OMITTED]
Queen Jeanie
THE DEATH OF QUEEN JANE—B
1
Queen Jeanie, Queen Jeanie, traveld six weeks and more,Till women and midwives had quite gien her oer:
‘O if ye were women as women should be,
Ye would send for a doctor, a doctor to me.’
2
The doctor was called for and set by her bedside:‘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?’
3
‘Queen Jeanie, Queen Jeanie, that's the thing I'll neer do,To rip up your two sides to save your babie:’
Queen Jeanie, Queen Jeanie, traveld six weeks and more,
Till midwives and doctors had quite gien her oer.
4
‘O if ye were doctors as doctors should be,Ye would send for King Henry, King Henry to me:’
374
‘What aileth thee, Jeanie? what aileth my bride?’
5
‘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.’
6
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 christning there was meikle joy and mirth,
But bonnie Queen Jeanie lies cold in the earth.
7
Six and six coaches, and six and six more,And royal King Henry went mourning before;
O two and two gentlemen carried her away,
But royal King Henry went weeping away.
8
O black were their stockings, and black were their bands,And black were the weapons they held in their hands;
O black were their mufflers, and black were their shoes,
And black were the cheverons they drew on their luves.
9
They mourned in the kitchen, and they mournd in the ha,But royal King Henry mournd langest of a':
Farewell to fair England, farewell for evermore!
For the fair flower of England will never shine more.
THE DEATH OF QUEEN JANE—C
[_]
a. Jamieson's Popular Ballads, I, 182; “from two fragments, one transmitted from Arbroath and another from Edinburgh.” b. Herd's MSS, I, 103.
1
Queen Jeany has traveld for three days and more,Till the ladies were weary, and quite gave her oer:
‘O ladies, O ladies, do this thing for me,
To send for King Henry, to come and see me.’
2
King Henry was sent for, and sat by her bedside:‘Why weep you, Queen Jeany? your eyes are so red.’
‘O Henry, O Henry, do this one thing for me,
Let my side straight be opend, and save my babie!’
3
‘O Jeany, O Jeany, this never will do,It will leese thy sweet life, and thy young babie too.’
She wept and she wailed, till she fell in a swoon:
Her side it was opened, the babie was found.
4
Prince Edward was christened with joy and with mirth,But the flower of fair England lies cold in the earth.
O black was King Henry, and black were his men,
And black was the steed that King Henry rode on.
5
And black were the ladies, and black were their fans,And black were the gloves that they wore on their hands,
And black were the ribbands they wore on their heads,
And black were the pages, and black were the maids.
6
The trumpets they sounded, the cannons did roar,But the flower of fair England shall flourish no more.
[OMITTED]
[OMITTED]
375
The Death of Queen Jane
THE DEATH OF QUEEN JANE—D
[_]
Robert Bell's Ancient Poems, Ballads, and Songs of the Peasantry of England, p. 113; “taken down from the singing of a young gipsy girl, to whom it had descended orally through two generations.”
1
Queen Jane was in travail for six weeks or more,Till the women grew tired and fain would give oer:
‘O women, O women, good wives if ye be,
Go send for King Henrie, and bring him to me!’
2
King Henrie was sent for, he came with all speed,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!’
3
The surgeon was sent for, he came with all speed,In a gownd of black velvet from heel to the head;
He gave her rich caudle, but the death-sleep slept she,
Then her right side was opened, and the babe was set free.
4
The babe it was christened, and put out and nursed,While the royal Queen Jane she lay cold in the dust.
[OMITTED]
[OMITTED]
5
So black was the mourning, and white were the wands,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.
6
Six knights and six lords bore her corpse through the grounds,Six dukes followed after, in black mourning gownds;
The flower of Old England was laid in cold clay,
Whilst the royal King Henrie came weeping away.
Queen Jeanie
THE DEATH OF QUEEN JANE—E
[_]
Macmath MS., p. 68. “From my aunt, Miss Jane Webster, 1886-1887. She learned it at Airds of Kells, Kirkcud-brightshire, over fifty years ago, from the singing of James Smith.”
1
‘Ye midwives and women-kind, do one thing for me;Send for my mother, to come and see me.’
2
Her mother was sent for, who came speedilie:‘O Jeanie, Queen Jeanie, are ye gaun to dee?’
3
‘O mother, dear mother, do one thing for me;O send for King Henry, to come and see me.’
4
King Henry was sent for, who came speedilie:‘O Jeanie, Queen Jeanie, are ye gaun to dee?’
5
‘King Henry, King Henry, do one thing for me;O send for a doctor, to come and see me.’
6
The doctor was sent for, who came speedilie:‘O Jeanie, Queen Jeanie, are ye gaun to dee?’
7
‘O doctor, oh doctor, do one thing for me;Open my left side, and let my babe free.’
8
He opened her left side, and then all was oer,And the best flower in England will flourish no more.
376
THE DEATH OF QUEEN JANE—F
[_]
Notes and Queries, Second Series, XI, 131; sung by an illiterate nursemaid “some forty years since” (1861).
1
Queen Jane lies in labour six weeks or more,Till the women were tired, go see her no more:
‘Oh women, oh women, if women you be,
You'll send for King Henry, to come and see me.
2
‘Oh King Henry, King Henry, if King Henry you be,You'll send for the doctor, to come and see me:
Oh doctor, oh doctor, if a doctor you be,
You'll open my right side, and save my baby.’
3
They churchd her, they chimed her, they dug her her grave,They buried her body, and christend her babe.
THE DEATH OF QUEEN JANE—G
[_]
In pencil, in Motherwell's handwriting, inside of the cover of what appears to be a sketch of his Introduction to his Minstrelsy; communicated by Mr Macmath.
1
Queen Jeanie was in labour full three days and more,Till a' the good women was forced to gie her oer:
‘O guide women, gude women, gude women,’ quo she,
‘Will ye send for King Henry, to come and see me?’
Wi weeping and wailing, lamenting full sore,
That the flower of all England should flourish no more.
2
King Henry was sent for, who came in great speed,Standing weeping and wailing at Queen Jeanie's bedside;
Standing weeping and wailing, etc.
3
‘O King Henry, King Henry, King Henry,’ quo she,‘Will ye send for my mother [OMITTED]
THE DEATH OF QUEEN JANE—H
1
Queen Jane, O! Queen Jane, O! what a lady was she!And six weeks and a day in labour was she;
Queen Jane was in labour for six weeks and more,
Till the women grew weary and fain would give oer.
2
‘O women, O women, good wives as ye be,Go send for King Henry and bring him to me.’
King Henry was sent for, and to her he came:
‘Dear lady, fair lady, your eyes they look dim.’
3
King Henry came to her, he came in all speed,In a gown of red velvet, from the heel to the head:
‘King Henry, King Henry, if kind you will be,
Send for a good doctor, and let him come to me.’
4
The doctor was sent for, he came with all speed,In a gown of black velvet from the heel to the head;
The doctor was sent for and to her he came:
‘Dear lady, fair lady, your labour's in vain.’
5
‘Dear doctor, dear doctor, will you do this for me?O open my right side, and save my baby:’
Then out spake King Henry, That never can be,
I'd rather lose the branches than the top of the tree.
6
The doctor gave a caudle, 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 nursd,
But the royal Queen Jane lay cold in the dust.
THE DEATH OF QUEEN JANE—I
[_]
Macmath MS., p. 99. Received November, 1892, from the recitation of Mary Cochrane (Mrs Joseph Garmory), Abbeyyard, Crossmichael, Kirkcudbrightshire. Written down by her husband.
1
Queen Jeanie was in labor for seven weeks in summer,The women all being tired and quite gave her over:
‘O women, dear women, if women you be,
Send for my mother to come and see me.’
2
Her mother was sent for and instantly came,Knelt down at the bedside where Queen Jeanie lay on:
‘O mother, dear mother, if mother you be,
Send for my father to come and see me.’
3
The father was sent for and instantly came,Knelt down by the bedside where Queen Jeanie lay on:
‘O father, dear father, if father you be,
Send for King Henry to come and see me.’
4
King Henry was sent for and instantly came,Knelt down by the bedside where Queen Jeanie lay on:
‘O Henry, King Henry, if Henry you be,
Send for the doctor to come and see me.’
5
The doctor was sent for and instantly came,Knelt down by the bedside where Queen Jeanie lay on:
‘O doctor, dear doctor, if doctor you be,
Open my left side and let the babe free.’
6
Her left side was opened, the young prince was found:‘O doctor, dear doctor, lay me down on the ground.’
7
Her bones were all broken and laid at her feet,And they anointed her body with the ointment so sweet,
And ay as they weeped they wrung their hands sore,
For the fair flower of England will flourish no more.
377
171
THOMAS CROMWELL
THOMAS CROMWELL
[OMITTED]1
[OMITTED][OMITTED]
‘Ffor if your boone be askeable,
Soone granted it shalbe:
2
‘If it be not touching my crowne,’ he said,‘Nor hurting poore comminaltye.’
‘Nay, it is not touching your crowne,’ shee sayes,
‘Nor hurting poore cominaltye,
3
‘But I begg the death of Thomas Cromwell,For a false traitor to you is hee.’
‘Then feitch me hither the Earle of Darby
And the Earle of Shrewsbury,
4
‘And bidde them bring Thomas Cromawell;Let's see what he can say to mee;’
For Thomas had woont to haue carryed his head vp,
But now he hanges it vppon his knee.
5
‘How now? How now?’ the king did say,‘Thomas, how is it with thee?’
‘Hanging and drawing, O king!’ he saide;
‘You shall neuer gett more from mee.’
378
172
MUSSELBURGH FIELD
MUSSELBURGH FIELD
1
On the tenth day of December,And the fourth yeere of King Edwards raigne,
Att Musleboorrowe, as I remember,
Two goodly hosts there mett on a plaine.
2
All that night they camped there,Soe did the Scotts, both stout and stubborne;
379
For wee haue taken them in their owne turne.
3
Over night they carded for our English mens coates;They fished before their netts were spunn;
A white for sixpence, a red for two groates;
Now wisdome wold haue stayed till they had been woone.
4
Wee feared not but that they wold fight,Yett itt was turned vnto their owne paine;
Thoe against one of vs that they were eight,
Yett with their owne weapons wee did them beat.
5
On the twelfth day in the morneThe made a face as the wold fight,
But many a proud Scott there was downe borne,
And many a ranke coward was put to flight.
6
But when they heard our great gunnes cracke,Then was their harts turned into their hose;
They cast down their weapons, and turned their backes,
They ran soe fast that the fell on their nose.
7
The Lord Huntley, wee had him there;With him hee brought ten thousand men,
Yett, God bee thanked, wee made them such a banquett
That none of them returned againe.
8
Wee chased them to D[alkeith][OMITTED]173 MARY HAMILTON
384
Marie Hamilton
MARY HAMILTON—A
[_]
a. Sharpe's Ballad Book, 1824, p. 18. b. Communicated by the late John Francis Campbell, as learned from his father about 1840. c. Aungervyle Society's publications, No V, p. 5 (First Series, p. 85); “taken down early in the present century from the lips of an old lady in Annandale.”
1
Word's gane to the kitchen,And word's gane to the ha,
That Marie Hamilton gangs wi bairn
To the hichest Stewart of a'.
2
He's courted her in the kitchen,He's courted her in the ha,
He's courted her in the laigh cellar,
And that was warst of a'.
3
She's tyed it in her apronAnd she's thrown it in the sea;
Says, Sink ye, swim ye, bonny wee babe!
You'l neer get mair o me.
4
Down then cam the auld queen,Goud tassels tying her hair:
‘O Marie, where's the bonny wee babe
That I heard greet sae sair?’
5
‘There never was a babe intill my room,As little designs to be;
It was but a touch o my sair side,
Come oer my fair bodie.’
6
‘O Marie, put on your robes o black,Or else your robes o brown,
For ye maun gang wi me the night,
To see fair Edinbro town.’
7
‘I winna put on my robes o black,Nor yet my robes o brown;
But I'll put on my robes o white,
To shine through Edinbro town.’
8
When she gaed up the Cannogate,She laughd loud laughters three;
But whan she cam down the Cannogate
The tear blinded her ee.
9
When she gaed up the Parliament stair,The heel cam aff her shee;
And lang or she cam down again
She was condemnd to dee.
10
When she cam down the Cannogate,The Cannogate sae free,
Many a ladie lookd oer her window,
Weeping for this ladie.
11
‘Ye need nae weep for me,’ she says,‘Ye need nae weep for me;
For had I not slain mine own sweet babe,
This death I wadna dee.
12
‘Bring me a bottle of wine,’ she says,‘The best that eer ye hae,
That I may drink to my weil-wishers,
And they may drink to me.
13
‘Here's a health to the jolly sailors,That sail upon the main;
Let them never let on to my father and mother
But what I'm coming hame.
14
‘Here's a health to the jolly sailors,That sail upon the sea;
Let them never let on to my father and mother
That I cam here to dee.
15
‘Oh little did my mother think,The day she cradled me,
What lands I was to travel through,
What death I was to dee.
385
16
‘Oh little did my father think,The day he held up me,
What lands I was to travel through,
What death I was to dee.
17
‘Last night I washd the queen's feet,And gently laid her down;
And a' the thanks I've gotten the nicht
To be hangd in Edinbro town!
18
‘Last nicht there was four Maries,The nicht there'l be but three;
There was Marie Seton, and Marie Beton,
And Marie Carmichael, and me.’
Mary Hamilton
MARY HAMILTON—B
1
There were ladies, they lived in a bower,And oh but they were fair!
The youngest o them is to the king's court,
To learn some unco lair.
2
She hadna been in the king's courtA twelve month and a day,
Till of her they could get na wark,
For wantonness and play.
3
Word is to the kitchen gane,And word is to the ha,
And word is up to Madame the Queen,
And that is warst of a',
That Mary Hamilton has born a bairn,
To the hichest Stewart of a'.
4
‘O rise, O rise, Mary Hamilton,O rise, and tell to me
What thou did with thy sweet babe
We sair heard weep by thee.’
5
‘Hold your tongue, madame,’ she said,‘And let your folly be;
It was a shouir o sad sickness
Made me weep sae bitterlie.’
6
‘O rise, O rise, Mary Hamilton,O rise, and tell to me
What thou did with thy sweet babe
We sair heard weep by thee.’
7
‘I put it in a piner-pig,And set it on the sea;
I bade it sink, or it might swim,
It should neer come hame to me.’
8
‘O rise, O rise, Mary Hamilton,Arise, and go with me;
There is a wedding in Glasgow town
This day we'll go and see.’
9
She put not on her black clothing,She put not on her brown,
But she put on the glistering gold,
To shine thro Edinburgh town.
10
As they came into Edinburgh town,The city for to see,
The bailie's wife and the provost's wife
Said, Och an alace for thee!
11
‘Gie never alace for me,’ she said,‘Gie never alace for me;
It's all for the sake of my poor babe,
This death that I maun die.’
12
As they gaed up the Tolbuith stair,The stair it was sae hie,
The bailie's son and the provost's son
Said, Och an alace for thee!
13
‘Gie never alace for me,’ she said,‘Gie never alace for me!
It's all for the sake of my puir babe,
This death that I maun die.
14
‘But bring to me a cup,’ she says,‘A cup bot and a can,
And I will drink to all my friends,
And they'll drink to me again.
15
‘Here's to you all, travellers,Who travels by land or sea;
Let na wit to my father nor mother
The death that I must die.
16
‘Here's to you all, travellers,That travels on dry land;
Let na wit to my father nor mother
But I am coming hame.
386
17
‘Little did my mother think,First time she cradled me,
What land I was to travel on,
Or what death I would die.
18
‘Little did my mother think,First time she tied my head,
What land I was to tread upon,
Or whare I would win my bread.
19
‘Yestreen Queen Mary had four Maries,This night she'll hae but three;
She had Mary Seaton, and Mary Beaton,
And Mary Carmichael, and me.
20
‘Yestreen I wush Queen Mary's feet,And bore her till her bed;
This day she's given me my reward,
This gallows-tree to tread.
21
‘Cast off, cast off my goun,’ she said,‘But let my petticoat be,
And tye a napkin on my face,
For that gallows I downa see.’
22
By and cum the king himsell,Lookd up with a pitiful ee:
‘Come down, come down, Mary Hamilton,
This day thou wilt dine with me.’
23
‘Hold your tongue, my sovereign leige,And let your folly be;
An ye had a mind to save my life,
Ye should na shamed me here.’
Mary Myles
MARY HAMILTON—C
1
There lived a lord into the west,And he had dochters three,
And the youngest o them is to the king's court,
To learn some courtesie.
2
She was not in the king's courtA twelvemonth and a day,
Till she was neither able to sit nor gang,
Wi the gaining o some play.
3
She went to the garden,To pull the leaf aff the tree,
To tak this bonnie babe frae her breast,
But alas it would na do!
4
She rowed it in her handkerchief,And threw it in the sea:
‘O sink ye, swim ye, wee wee babe!
Ye'll get nae mair o me.’
5
Word is to the kitchen gane,And word is to the ha,
That Mary Myle she goes wi child
To the highest Steward of a'.
6
Down and came the queen hersell,The queen hersell so free:
‘O Mary Myle, whare is the child
That I heard weep for thee?’
7
‘O hold your tongue now, Queen,’ she says,‘O hold your tongue so free!
For it was but a shower o the sharp sickness,
I was almost like to die.’
8
‘O busk ye, busk ye, Mary Myle,O busk, and go wi me;
O busk ye, busk ye, Mary Mile,
It's Edinburgh town to see.’
9
‘I'll no put on my robes o black,No nor yet my robes [o] brown;
But I'll put on my golden weed,
To shine thro Edinburgh town.’
10
When she went up the Cannongate-side,The Cannongate-side so free,
Oh there she spied some ministers’ lads,
Crying Och and alace for me!
11
‘Dinna cry och and alace for me!Dinna cry o[c]h and alace for me!
For it's all for the sake of my innocent babe
That I come here to die.’
12
When she went up the Tolbooth-stair,The lap cam aff her shoe;
Before that she came down again,
She was condemned to die.
387
13
‘O all you gallant sailors,That sail upon the sea,
Let neither my father nor mother know
The death I am to die!
14
‘O all you gallant sailors,That sail upon the faem,
Let neither my father nor mother know
But I am coming hame!
15
‘Little did my mother know,The hour that she bore me,
What lands I was to travel in,
What death I was to die.
16
‘Little did my father know,When he held up my head,
What lands I was to travel in,
What was to be my deid.
17
‘Yestreen I made Queen Mary's bed,Kembed doun her yellow hair;
Is this the reward I am to get,
To tread this gallows-stair!’
Mary Hamilton
MARY HAMILTON—D
[_]
Motherwell's MS., p. 267; from the recitation of Miss Nancy Hamilton and Mrs Gentles, January, 1825.
1
There lives a knight into the north,And he had daughters three;
The ane of them was a barber's wife,
The other a gay ladie.
2
And the youngest of them is to Scotland gane,The queen's Mary to be,
And a' that they could say or do,
Forbidden she woudna be.
3
The prince's bed it was sae saft,The spices they were sae fine,
That out of it she couldna lye
While she was scarse fifteen.
4
She's gane to the garden gayTo pu of the savin tree;
But for a' that she could say or do,
The babie it would not die.
5
She's rowed it in her handkerchief,She threw it in the sea;
Says, Sink ye, swim ye, my bonnie babe!
For ye'll get nae mair of me.
6
Queen Mary came tripping down the stair,Wi the gold strings in her hair:
‘O whare's the little babie,’ she says,
‘That I heard greet sae sair?’
7
‘O hold your tongue, Queen Mary, my dame,Let all those words go free!
It was mysell wi a fit o the sair colic,
I was sick just like to die.’
8
‘O hold your tongue, Mary Hamilton,Let all those words go free!
O where is the little babie
That I heard weep by thee?’
9
‘I rowed it in my handkerchief,And threw it in the sea;
I bade it sink, I bade it swim,
It would get nae mair o me.’
10
‘O wae be to thee, Marie Hamilton,And an ill deid may you die!
For if ye had saved the babie's life
It might hae been an honour to thee.
11
‘Busk ye, busk ye, Marie Hamilton,O busk ye to be a bride!
For I am going to Edinburgh toun,
Your gay wedding to bide.
12
‘You must not put on your robes of black,Nor yet your robes of brown;
But you must put on your yellow gold stuffs,
To shine thro Edinburgh town.’
13
‘I will not put on my robes of black,Nor yet my robes of brown;
But I will put on my yellow gold stuffs,
To shine thro Edinburgh town.’
14
As she went up the Parliament Close,A riding on her horse,
There she saw many a cobler's lady,
Sat greeting at the cross.
388
15
‘O what means a' this greeting?I'm sure its nae for me;
For I'm come this day to Edinburgh town
Weel wedded for to be.’
16
When she gade up the Parliament stair,She gied loud lauchters three;
But ere that she came down again,
She was condemned to die.
17
‘O little did my mother think,The day that she prinned my gown,
That I was to come sae far frae hame
To be hangid in Edinburgh town.
18
‘O what'll my poor father think,As he comes thro the town,
To see the face of his Molly fair
Hanging on the gallows-pin!
19
‘Here's a health to the marineres,That plough the raging main!
Let neither my mother nor father know
But I'm coming hame again!
20
‘Here's a health to the sailors,That sail upon the sea!
Let neither my mother nor father ken
That I came here to die!
21
‘Yestreen the queen had four Maries,This night she'll hae but three;
There was Mary Beaton, and Mary Seaton,
And Mary Carmichael, and me.’
22
‘O hald your tongue, Mary Hamilton,Let all those words go free!
This night eer ye be hanged
Ye shall gang hame wi me.’
23
‘O hald your tongue, Queen Mary, my dame,Let all those words go free!
For since I have come to Edinburgh toun,
It's hanged I shall be,
And it shall neer be said that in your court
I was condemned to die.’
Lady Maisry
MARY HAMILTON—E
1
‘My father was the Duke of York,My mother a lady free,
Mysell a dainty damsell,
Queen Mary sent for me.
2
‘Yestreen I washd Queen Mary's feet,Kam'd down her yellow hair,
And lay a' night in the young man's bed,
And I'll rue t for evermair.
3
‘The queen's kale was aye sae het,Her spice was aye sae fell,
Till they gart me gang to the young man's bed,
And I'd a' the wyte mysell.
4
‘I was not in the queen's serviceA twelvemonth but barely ane,
Ere I grew as big wi bairn
As ae woman could gang.
5
‘But it fell ance upon a day,Was aye to be it lane,
I did take strong travilling
As ever yet was seen.’
6
Ben it came the queen hersell,Was a' gowd to the hair;
‘O where's the bairn, Lady Maisry,
That I heard greeting sair?’
7
Ben it came the queen hersell,Was a' gowd to the chin:
‘O where's the bairn, Lady Maisry,
That I heard late yestreen.’
8
‘There is no bairn here,’ she says,‘Nor never thinks to be;
'Twas but a stoun o sair sickness
That ye heard seizing me.’
9
They sought it out, they sought it in,They sought it but and ben,
But between the bolster and the bed
They got the baby slain.
10
‘Come busk ye, busk ye, Lady Maisdry,Come busk, an go with me;
389
And try the verity.’
11
She woud not put on the black, the black,Nor yet wad she the brown,
But the white silk and the red scarlet,
That shin'd frae town to town.
12
As she gaed down thro Edinburgh townThe burghers' wives made meen,
That sic a dainty damsel
Sud ever hae died for sin.
13
‘Make never meen for me,’ she says,‘Make never meen for me;
Seek never grace frae a graceless face,
For that ye'll never see.’
14
As she gaed up the Tolbooth stair,A light laugh she did gie;
But lang ere she came down again
She was condemned to die.
15
‘A’ you that are in merchants-ships,And cross the roaring faem,
Hae nae word to my father and mother,
But that I'm coming hame.
16
‘Hold your hands, ye justice o peace,Hold them a little while!
For yonder comes my father and mother,
That's travelld mony a mile.
17
‘Gie me some o your gowd, parents,Some o your white monie,
To save me frae the head o yon hill,
Yon greenwood gallows-tree.’
18
‘Ye'll get nane o our gowd, daughter,Nor nane o our white monie;
For we hae travelld mony a mile,
This day to see you die.’
19
‘Hold your hands, ye justice o peace,Hold them a little while!
For yonder comes him Warenston,
The father of my chile.
20
‘Give me some o your gowd, Warenston,Some o your white monie,
To save me frae the head o yon hill,
Yon greenwood gallows-tree.’
21
‘I bade you nurse my bairn well,And nurse it carefullie,
And gowd shoud been your hire, Maisry,
And my body your fee.’
22
He's taen out a purse o gowd,Another o white monie,
And he's tauld down ten thousand crowns,
Says, True love, gang wi me.
Quin Mary's Marreys
MARY HAMILTON—F
1
‘My father was the Duck of York,My mother a lady frie,
My sell a dainnty damisall,
Quin Mary sent for me.
2
‘The quin's meat it was so suit,An her clething was sae rair,
It made me lang for Suit Willie's bed,
An I ill rue it ever mare.
3
‘Mary Beeten, an Mary Sitton,An Lady Livenston, a' three,
We'll never mett in Quin Mary's bour nou,
Marrys tho we be.’
4
Quin Mary satt in her bour,Suing her selver seam;
She thought she hard a baby greet
Bat an a lady mean.
5
She throu her neddel frae her,Her seam out of her han,
An she is on to Lady Marry's bour,
As fast as she could gang.
6
‘Open yer dor, Lady Mary,’ she says,‘An lat me come in;
For I hear a baby greet,
Bat an a lady meen.’
7
‘Ther is nae bab in my bour, madam the Quin,Nor never thinks to be,
Bat the strong pains of gravell
This night has sesed me.’
8
She paat her fitt to the dor,Bat an her knee,
Bolts of brass an irn bands
In flinders she gart flee.
390
9
She pat a han to her bed-headA nether to her bed-feet,
An bonny was the bab
Was blabring in its bleed.
10
‘Wae worth ye, Lady Mary,An ill dead sall ye die!
For in ye widne keepet the bonny bab
Ye might ha gen't to me.’
11
‘Lay na the witt on me, madam,Lay na the witt on me,
For my fals love bare the v[e]pan att his side
That gared my bern dee.’
12
‘Gett up, Lady Betton, get up, Lady Setton,An Lady Livenston, three,
An we will on to Edenbrugh
An tray this gay lady.’
13
As she cam in the Cannogate,The burgers' wives they crayed hon, ochon, ochree!
14
‘O had yer still, ye burgers’ wives,An make na mane for me;
Seek never grace out of a graslass face,
For they ha nan to gee.
15
‘Ye merchants an ye mareners,That trad on the sea,
Ye dinnë tell in my country
The dead I am gaine to dee.
16
‘Ye merchants an ye mareners,That traid on the fame,
Dinnë tell in my countray
Bat fatt I am coming hame.
17
‘Littel did my father think,Fan he brouch[t] me our the sea,
That he woud see my yallou lokes
Hang on a gallou-tree.
18
‘Littel did my midder think,Fan she brought me fra hame,
That she maught see my yallou lokes
Hang on a gallou-pine.
19
‘[OMITTED]O had yer han a wee!
For yonder comes my father,
I am sure he'll borrou me.
20
‘O some of yer goud, father,An of yer well won fee,
To safe me [fra the high hill],
[An] fra the gallage-tree.’
21
‘Ye's gett nane of my goud,Ner of my well wone fee,
For I wead gee five hundred poun
To see ye hanged hee.’
22
‘[OMITTED]O had yer han a wee!
Yonder is my love Willie,
He will borrou me.
23
‘O some of yer goud, my love Wille,An some of yer well wone fee,
To save me fraa the high hill,
An fraie the gallou-tree.’
24
‘Ye's gett a' my goud,An a' my well won fee,
To save ye fra the heading-hill,
An fra the galla-tree.’
Mary Hamiltin
MARY HAMILTON—G
[_]
Manuscript of Scottish Songs and Ballads, copied by a granddaughter of Lord Woodhouselee, 1840-50, p. 51.
1
O Mary Hamilton to the kirk is gane,Wi ribbons in her hair;
An the king thoct mair o Marie
Then onie that were there.
2
Mary Hamilton's to the preaching gane,Wi ribbons on her breast;
An the king thocht mair o Marie
Than he thocht o the priest.
391
3
Syne word is thro the palace gane,I heard it tauld yestreen,
The king loes Mary Hamilton
Mair than he loes his queen.
4
A sad tale thro the town is gaen,A sad tale on the morrow;
Oh Mary Hamilton has born a babe,
An slain it in her sorrow!
5
And down then cam the auld queen,Goud tassels tied her hair:
‘What did ye wi the wee wee bairn
That I heard greet sae sair?’
6
‘There neer was a bairn into my room,An as little designs to be;
'Twas but a stitch o my sair side,
Cam owre my fair bodie.’
7
‘Rise up now, Marie,’ quo the queen,‘Rise up, an come wi me,
For we maun ride to Holyrood,
A gay wedding to see.’
8
The queen was drest in scarlet fine,Her maidens all in green;
An every town that they cam thro
Took Marie for the queen.
9
But little wist Marie Hamilton,As she rode oure the lea,
That she was gaun to Edinbro town
Her doom to hear and dree.
10
When she cam to the Netherbow Port,She laughed loud laughters three;
But when she reached the gallows-tree,
The tears blinded her ee.
11
‘Oh aften have I dressed my queen,An put gowd in her hair;
The gallows-tree is my reward,
An shame maun be my share!
12
‘Oh aften hae I dressed my queen,An saft saft made her bed;
An now I've got for my reward
The gallows-tree to tread!
13
‘There's a health to all gallant sailors,That sail upon the sea!
Oh never let on to my father and mither
The death that I maun dee!
14
‘An I charge ye, all ye mariners,When ye sail owre the main,
Let neither my father nor mither know
But that I'm comin hame.
15
‘Oh little did my mither ken,That day she cradled me,
What lands I was to tread in,
Or what death I should dee.
16
‘Yestreen the queen had four Maries,The nicht she'll hae but three;
There's Marie Seaton, an Marie Beaton,
An Marie Carmichael, an me.’
Mary Hamilton
MARY HAMILTON—H
1
‘Whan I was a babe, and a very little babe,And stood at my mither's knee,
Nae witch nor warlock did unfauld
The death I was to dree.
2
‘But my mither was a proud woman,A proud woman and a bauld;
And she hired me to Queen Mary's bouer,
When scarce eleven years auld.
3
‘O happy, happy is the maid,That's born of beauty free!
It was my dimpling rosy cheeks
That's been the dule o me;
And wae be to that weirdless wicht,
And a' his witcherie!’
4
Word's gane up and word's gane doun,An word's gane to the ha,
That Mary Hamilton was wi bairn,
An na body kend to wha.
5
But in and cam the queen hersel,Wi gowd plait on her hair:
Says, Mary Hamilton, whare is the babe
That I heard greet sae sair?
392
6
‘There is na babe within my bouer,And I hope there neer will be;
But it's me wi a sair and sick colic,
And I'm just like to dee.’
7
But they looked up, they looked down,Atween the bowsters and the wa,
It's there they got a bonnie lad-bairn,
But its life it was awa.
8
‘Rise up, rise up, Mary Hamilton,Rise up, and dress ye fine,
For you maun gang to Edinbruch,
And stand afore the nine.
9
‘Ye'll no put on the dowie black,Nor yet the dowie brown;
But ye'll put on the robes o red,
To sheen thro Edinbruch town.’
10
‘I'll no put on the dowie black,Nor yet the dowie brown;
But I'll put on the robes o red,
To sheen thro Edinbruch town.’
11
As they gaed thro Edinbruch town,And down by the Nether-bow,
There war monie a lady fair
Siching and crying, Och how!
12
‘O weep na mair for me, ladies,Weep na mair for me!
Yestreen I killed my ain bairn,
The day I deserve to dee.
13
‘What need ye hech and how, ladies?What need ye how for me?
Ye never saw grace at a graceless face,
Queen Mary has nane to gie.’
14
‘Gae forward, gae forward,’ the queen she said,‘Gae forward, that ye may see;
For the very same words that ye hae said
Sall hang ye on the gallows-tree.’
15
As she gaed up the Tolbooth stairs,She gied loud lauchters three;
But or ever she cam down again,
She was condemnd to dee.
16
‘O tak example frae me, Maries,O tak example frae me,
Nor gie your luve to courtly lords,
Nor heed their witchin'ee.
17
‘But wae be to the Queen hersel,She micht hae pardond me;
But sair she's striven for me to hang
Upon the gallows-tree.
18
‘Yestreen the Queen had four Maries,The nicht she'll hae but three;
There was Mary Beatoun, Mary Seaton,
And Mary Carmichael, and me.
19
‘Aft hae I set pearls in her hair,Aft hae I lac'd her gown,
And this is the reward I now get,
To be hangd in Edinbruch town!
20
‘O a' ye mariners, far and near,That sail ayont the faem,
O dinna let my father and mither ken
But what I am coming hame!
21
‘O a' ye mariners, far and near,That sail ayont the sea,
Let na my father and mither ken
The death I am to dee!
22
‘Sae, weep na mair for me, ladies,Weep na mair for me;
The mither that kills her ain bairn
Deserves weel for to dee.’
The Queen's Marie
MARY HAMILTON—I
[_]
a. Scott's Minstrelsy, 1833, III, 294, made up from various copies. b. Three stanzas (23, 18, 19) in the first edition of the Minstrelsy, 1802, II, 154, from recitation.
1
Marie Hamilton's to the kirk gane,Wi ribbons in her hair;
The king thought mair o Marie Hamilton
Than ony that were there.
2
Marie Hamilton's to the kirk gane,Wi ribbons on her breast;
The king thought mair o Marie Hamilton
Then he listend to the priest.
393
3
Marie Hamilton's to the kirk gane,Wi gloves upon her hands;
The king thought mair o Marie Hamilton,
Than the queen and a' her lands.
4
She hadna been about the king's courtA month, but barely one,
Till she was beloved by a' the king's court,
And the king the only man.
5
She hadna been about the king's courtA month, but barely three,
Till frae the king's court Marie Hamilton,
Marie Hamilton durstna be.
6
The king is to the Abbey gane,To pu the Abbey-tree,
To scale the babe frae Marie's heart,
But the thing it wadna be.
7
O she has rowd it in her apron,And set it on the sea:
‘Gae sink ye, or swim ye, bonny babe!
Ye's get nae mair o me.’
8
Word is to the kitchen gane,And word is to the ha,
And word is to the noble room,
Amang the ladyes a',
That Marie Hamilton's brought to bed,
And the bonny babe's mist and awa.
9
Scarcely had she lain down again,And scarcely fa'en asleep,
When up then started our gude queen,
Just at her bed-feet,
Saying, Marie Hamilton, where's your babe?
For I am sure I heard it greet.
10
‘O no, O no, my noble queen,Think no such thing to be!
'Twas but a stitch into my side,
And sair it troubles me.’
11
‘Get up, get up, Marie Hamilton,Get up and follow me;
For I am going to Edinburgh town,
A rich wedding for to see.’
12
O slowly, slowly raise she up,And slowly put she on,
And slowly rode she out the way,
Wi mony a weary groan.
13
The queen was clad in scarlet,Her merry maids all in green,
And every town that they cam to,
They took Marie for the queen.
14
‘Ride hooly, hooly, gentlemen,Ride hooly now wi me!
For never, I am sure, a wearier burd
Rade in your cumpanie.’
15
But little wist Marie Hamilton,When she rade on the brown,
That she was gaen to Edinburgh town,
And a' to be put down.
16
‘Why weep ye so, ye burgess-wives,Why look ye so on me?
O I am going to Edinburgh town
A rich wedding for to see!’
17
When she gaed up the Tolbooth stairs,The corks frae her heels did flee;
And lang or eer she cam down again
She was condemnd to die.
18
When she cam to the Netherbow Port,She laughed loud laughters three;
But when she cam to the gallows-foot,
The tears blinded her ee.
19
‘Yestreen the queen had four Maries,The night she'll hae but three;
There was Marie Seaton, and Marie Beaton,
And Marie Carmichael, and me.
20
‘O often have I dressd my queen,And put gold upon her hair;
But now I've gotten for my reward
The gallows to be my share.
21
‘Often have I dressd my queen,And often made her bed;
But now I've gotten for my reward
The gallows-tree to tread.
22
‘I charge ye all, ye mariners,When ye sail ower the faem,
Let neither my father nor mother get wit
But that I'm coming hame!
23
‘I charge ye all, ye mariners,That sail upon the sea,
Let neither my father nor mother get wit
This dog's death I'm to die!
394
24
‘For if my father and mother got wit,And my bold brethren three,
O mickle wad be the gude red blude
This day wad be spilt for me!
25
‘O little did my mother ken,That day she cradled me,
The lands I was to travel in,
Or the death I was to die!’
Marie Hamilton
MARY HAMILTON—J
1
My mother was a proud, proud woman,A proud, proud woman and a bold;
She sent me to Queen Marie's bour,
When scarcely eleven years old.
2
Queen Marie's bread it was sae sweet,An her wine it was sae fine,
That I hae lien in a young man's arms,
An I rued it aye synsyne.
3
Queen Marie she cam doon the stair,Wi the goud kamis in her hair:
‘Oh whare, oh whare is the wee wee babe
I heard greetin sae sair?’
4
‘It's no a babe, a babie fair,Nor ever intends to be;
But I mysel, wi a sair colic,
Was seek an like to dee.’
5
They socht the bed baith up an doon,Frae the pillow to the straw,
An there they got the wee wee babe,
But its life was far awa.
6
‘Come doon, come doon, Marie Hamilton,Come doon an speak to me;
[OMITTED]
[OMITTED]
7
‘You'll no put on your dowie black,Nor yet your dowie broun;
But you'll put on your ried, ried silk,
To shine through Edinborough toun.’
8
‘Yestreen the queen had four Maries,The nicht she'll hae but three;
There was Marie Bethune, an Marie Seaton,
An Marie Carmichael, an me.
9
‘Ah, little did my mother ken,The day she cradled me,
The lands that I sud travel in,
An the death that I suld dee.’
10
Yestreen the queen had four Maries,The nicht she has but three;
For the bonniest Marie amang them a'
Was hanged upon a tree.
The Queen's Mary
MARY HAMILTON—K
1
Queen Mary had four serving-maids,As braw as braw could be,
But ane o them has fa'n wi bairn,
And for it she maun die.
2
But whan the babie it was born,A troubled woman was she;
She rowed it up in a handkerchief,
And flang it in the sea.
3
Out then spoke a bonnie wee burd,And it spak sharp and keen:
‘O what did ye do wi your wee babie,
Ye had in your arms yestreen?’
4
‘O I tyed it up in a napkin,And flang it in the sea;
I bade it sink, I bade it soom,
'Twad get nae mair o me.’
5
Out and spak King Henrie,And an angry man was he:
‘A' for the drowning o that wee babe
High hanged ye shall be.’
6
‘I'll no put on a goun o black,Nor yet a goun o green,
But I'll put on a goun o gowd,
To glance in young men's een.
395
7
‘O gin ye meet my father or mother,Ye may tell them frae me,
'Twas for the sake o a wee wee bairn
That I came here to die.
8
‘Yestreen four Maries made Queen Mary's bed,This nicht there'll be but three,
A Mary Beaton, a Mary Seaton,
A Mary Carmichael, and me.
9
‘O what will my three brithers say,When they come hame frae see,
When they see three locks o my yellow hair
Hinging under a gallows-tree!’
Mary Hamilton
MARY HAMILTON—L
1
Doun and cam the queen hersell,Wi the goud links in her hair:
‘O what did you do wi the braw lad bairn
That I heard greet sae sair?’
2
‘There was never a babe into my room,Nor ever intends to be;
It was but a fit o the sair colic,
That was like to gar me die.’
3
Doun and cam the king himsell,And an angry man was he:
‘If ye had saved that braw child's life,
It might hae been an honour to thee.’
4
They socht the chamer up and doun,And in below the bed,
And there they fand a braw lad-bairn
Lying lapperin in his blood.
5
She rowed it up in her apron green,And threw it in the sea:
‘Een sink or swim, you braw lad bairn!
Ye'll neer get mair o me.’
6
When she gaed up the Cannogate,She gied loud lauchters three;
But or she cam to the Cowgate Head
The tears did blind her ee.
7
‘Come a' ye jovial sailors,That sail upon the sea,
Tell neither my father nor mother
The death that I'm to die!
8
‘Come a' ye jovial sailors,That sail upon the main,
See that ye tell baith my father and mother
That I'm coming sailing hame!
9
‘My father he's the Duke of York,And my mother's a gay ladie,
And I mysell a pretty fair lady,
And the king fell in love with me.’
Mary Hamilton
MARY HAMILTON—M
1
Then down cam Queen Marie,Wi gold links in her hair,
Saying, Marie Mild, where is the child,
That I heard greet sae sair?
2
‘There was nae child wi me, madam,There was nae child wi me;
It was but me in a sair cholic,
When I was like to die.’
3
‘I'm not deceived,’ Queen Marie said,‘No, no, indeed not I!
So Marie Mild, where is the child?
For sure I heard it cry.’
4
She turned down the blankets fine,Likewise the Holland sheet,
And underneath, there strangled lay
A lovely baby sweet.
5
‘O cruel mother,’ said the queen,‘Some fiend possessed thee;
396
My Marie tho thou be!’
6
When she cam to the Netherbow PortShe laught loud laughters three;
But when she cam to the gallows-foot,
The saut tear blinded her ee.
7
‘Yestreen the Queen had four Maries,The night she'll hae but three;
There was Marie Seton, and Marie Beaton,
And Marie Carmichael, and me.
8
‘Ye mariners, ye mariners,That sail upon the sea,
Let not my father or mother wit
The death that I maun die!
9
‘I was my parents’ only hope,They neer had ane but me;
They little thought when I left hame,
They should nae mair me see!’
The Queen's Maries
MARY HAMILTON—N
1
The streen the queen had four Maries,This nicht she'll hae but three;
There's Mary Heaton, an Mary Beaton,
An Mary Michel, an me,
An I mysel was Mary Mild,
An flower oer a' the three.
2
Mary's middle was aye sae neat,An her clothing aye sae fine,
It caused her lie in a young man's airms,
An she's ruet it aye sin syne.
3
She done her doon yon garden green,To pull the deceivin tree,
For to keep back that young man's bairn,
But forward it would be.
4
‘Ye winna put on the dowie black,Nor yet will ye the broon,
But ye'll put on the robes o red,
To shine through Edinburgh toon.’
5
She hasna pitten on the dowie black,Nor yet has she the broon,
But she's pitten on the robes o red,
To shine thro Edinburgh toon.
6
When she came to the mariners' toon,The mariners they were playin,
[OMITTED]
[OMITTED]
7
‘Ye needna play for me, mariners,Ye needna play for me;
Ye never saw grace in a graceless face,
For there's nane therein to be.
8
‘Seven years an I made Queen Mary's bed,Seven years an I combed her hair,
An a hansome reward noo she's gien to me,
Gien me the gallows-tows to wear!
9
‘Oh little did my mither think,The day she cradled me,
What road I'd hae to travel in,
Or what death I'd hae to dee!’
The Queen's Marie
MARY HAMILTON—O
1
There lived a lord into the south,And he had dochters three,
And the youngest o them went to the king's court,
To learn some courtesie.
2
She rowd it in a wee wee clout[OMITTED]
[OMITTED]
[OMITTED]
3
She rowd it in a wee wee cloutAnd flang't into the faem,
Saying, Sink ye soon, my bonny babe!
I'll go a maiden hame.
4
‘O woe be to you, ye ill woman,An ill death may ye die!
Gin ye had spared the sweet baby's life,
It might hae been an honour to thee.’
397
5
She wadna put on her gowns o black,Nor yet wad she o brown,
But she wad put on her gowns o gowd,
To glance through Embro town.
6
‘Come saddle not to me the black,’ she says,‘Nor yet to me the brown,
But come saddle to me the milk-white steed,
That I may ride in renown.’
MARY HAMILTON—P
My father's the Duke of Argyll,
My mither's a lady gay,
And I mysel am a dainty dame,
And the king desired me.
My mither's a lady gay,
And I mysel am a dainty dame,
And the king desired me.
He schawd [me] up, he shawed me doun,
He schawd me to the ha;
He schawd me to the low cellars,
And that was waurst of a'.
He schawd me to the ha;
He schawd me to the low cellars,
And that was waurst of a'.
Queen's Marie
MARY HAMILTON—Q
[_]
Letters from and to Charles Kirkpatrick Sharpe, ed. Allardyce, 1888, II, 272, in a letter from Sharpe to W. Scott [1823].
1
The Duke of York was my father,My mother a lady free,
Myself a dainty damosell,
Queen Marie sent for me.
2
The queen's meat it was sae sweet,Her cleiding was sae rare,
It gart me grien for sweet Willie,
And I'll rue it evermair.
MARY HAMILTON—R
Little did my mother think,That day she cradled me,
What land I was to travel in,
Or what death I should die!
The Queen's Marie
MARY HAMILTON—S
[_]
Letters addressed to Sir Walter Scott, I, No 87, Abbotsford. Stanzas 10, 9, 12 appear in the second volume of the Minstrelsy, 1802, p. 154, with the variation of a couple of words, as ‘The Lament of the Queen's Marie’ (here I b). Perhaps Finlay adopted these three stanzas into his copy. Stanzas 1, 3, 6, 8, with very slight variations, were printed by Finlay in the preface to his Scottish Ballads, 1808 (O).
1
There lived a lord into the South,An he had daughters three;
The youngest o them's gaen to the king's court,
To learn some courtesie.
2
She had na been in the king's courtA twelvemonth an a day,
When word is thro the kitchen gaen,
An likewise thro the ha,
That Mary Moil was gane wi child
To the highest steward of a'.
398
3
She rowd it into a basketAn flang't into the sea,
Saying, Sink ye soon, my bonny babe,
Ye'se neer get mair o me.
4
She rowd it into a basketAn flang't into the faem,
Saying, Sink ye soon, my bonny babe,
I'se gang a maiden hame.
5
O whan the news cam to the kingAn angry man was he;
He has taen the table wi his foot,
An in flinders gart it flie.
6
‘O woe be to you, ye ill woman,An ill death may ye die!
Gin ye had spared the sweet baby's life,
It might have been an honour to thee.
7
‘O busk ye, busk ye, Mary Moil,O busk, an gang wi me,
For agen the morn at ten o clock
A rare sight ye sall see.’
8
She wadna put on her gown o black,Nor yet wad she o brown,
But she wad put on her gown o gowd,
To glance thro Embro town.
9
O whan she cam to the Netherbow PortShe gied loud laughters three,
But whan she cam to the gallows-foot
The tear blinded her ee.
10
Saying, O ye mariners, mariners,That sail upon the sea,
Let not my father nor mother to wit
The death that I maun die.
11
‘For little did father or mother wit,The day they cradled me,
What foreign lands I should travel in,
Or what death I should die.
12
‘Yestreen the Queen had four Maries,The night she'll hae but three;
There was Mary Seton, an Mary Beaton,
An Mary Carmichael, an me.’
MARY HAMILTON—T
[_]
Communicated to Sir Walter Scott by Mrs Christiana Greenwood, London, 21st February and 27th May, 1806, from the recitation of her mother and her aunt, who learned the ballad above fifty years before from Kirstan Scot, then an old woman, at Longnewton, near Jedburgh: Letters at Abbotsford, I, Nos 173, 189.
1
There was a duke, and he dwelt in York,And he had daughters three;
One of them was an hostler-wife,
And two were gay ladies.
2
O word's gane to Queen Mary's court,As fast as it coud gee,
That Mary Hamilton's born a bairn,
And the baby they coud na see.
3
Then came the queen and a' her maids,Swift tripping down the stair:
‘Where is the baby, Mary,
That we heard weep sae sair?’
4
‘O say not so, Queen Mary,Nor bear ill tales o me,
For this is but a sore sickness
That oft times troubles me.’
5
They sought it up, they sought it down,They sought it below the bed,
And there the[y] saw the bonny wee babe,
Lying wallowing in its bluid.
6
‘Now busk ye, busk ye, Mary Hamilton,Busk ye and gang wi me,
For I maun away to Edinbro town,
A rich wedding to see.’
7
Mary wad na put on the black velvet,Nor yet wad put on the brown,
But she's put on the red velvet,
To shine thro Edinbro town.
8
When she came unto the town,And near the Tolbooth stair,
There stood many a lady gay,
Weeping for Mary fair.
9
‘O haud yeer tongue[s], ye ladys a',And weep na mair for me!
O haud yeer tongues, ye ladys a',
For it's for my fault I dee.
10
‘The king he took me on his kneeAnd he gae three drinks to me,
And a' to put the babie back,
But it wad na gang back for me.
11
‘O ye mariners, ye mariners a',That sail out-owr the sea,
Let neither my father nor mother get wit
What has become o me!
12
‘Let neither my father nor mother ken,Nor my bauld brethren three,
For muckle wad be the gude red bluid
That wad be shed for me.
13
‘Aft hae I laced Queen Mary's back,Aft hae I kaimed her hair,
And a' the reward she's gein to me's
The gallows to be my heir.
14
‘Yestreen the queen had four Marys,The night she'l hae but three;
There was Mary Seatoun, and Mary Beatoun,
An Mary Carmichal, an me.’
Lament of the Queen's Marie
MARY HAMILTON—U
[_]
“Scotch Ballads, Materials for Border Minstrelsy,” No 92, Abbotsford. Communicated to Scott, 7th January, 1804, by Rev. George Paxton, Kilmaurs, near Kilmarnock, Ayrshire (afterwards professor of divinity at Edinburgh); from the mouth of Jean Milne, his “aged mother, formerly an unwearied singer of Scotish songs.”
1
‘My father was the Duke of York,My mother a gay ladye,
And I myself a daintie dame;
The queen she sent for me.
2
‘But the queen's meat it was sae sweet,And her clothing was sae rare,
It made me long for a young man's bed,
And I rued it evermair.’
3
But word is up, and word is down,Amang the ladyes a',
That Marie's born a babe sin yestreen,
That babe it is awa.
4
But the queen she gat wit of this,She calld for a berry-brown gown,
And she's awa to Marie's bower,
The bower that Marie lay in.
5
‘Open your door, my Marie,’ she says,‘My bonny and fair Marie;
They say you have born a babe sin yestreen,
That babe I fain wad see.’
6
‘It is not sae wi me, madam,It is not sae wi me;
It is but a fit of my sair sickness,
That oft times troubles me.’
7
‘Get up, get up, my Marie,’ she says,‘My bonny and fair Marie,
And we'll away to Edinburgh town,
And try the verity.’
8
Slowly, slowly, gat she up,And slowly pat she on,
And slowly went she to that milk-steed,
To ride to Edinburgh town.
9
But when they cam to Edinburgh,And in by the Towbooth stair,
There was mony a virtuous ladye
Letting the tears fa there.
10
‘Why weep ye sae for me, madams?Why weep ye sae for me?
For sin ye brought me to this town
This death ye gar me die.’
11
When she cam to the Netherbow Port,She gae loud laughters three;
But when she cam to the gallows-foot
The tear blinded her ee.
12
‘Yestreen the queen had four Maries,The night she'll hae but three;
There was Marie Seton, and Marie Beatoun,
And Marie Carmichael, and me.
13
‘My love he was a pottinger,Mony drink he gae me,
And a' to put back that bonnie babe,
But alas! it wad na do.
14
‘I pat that bonny babe in a box,And set it on the sea;
O sink ye, swim ye, bonny bable!
Ye's neer get mair o me.
15
‘O all ye jolly sailors,That sail upon the sea,
The death that I maun die.
16
‘But if my father and mother kendThe death that I maun die,
O mony wad be the good red guineas
That wad be gien for me.’
MARY HAMILTON—V
[_]
“Scotch Ballads, Materials for Border Minstrelsy,” No 9, Abbotsford; in the handwriting of William Laidlaw.
1
‘My father was the Duke of York,My mother the gay ladie,
An I myself a maiden bright,
An the queen desired me.’
2
But there word gane to the kitchen,There's word gane to the ha,
That Mary mild she gangs wi child
To the uppermost stewart of a'.
3
Than they sought but, and they sou[ght] ben,They sought aneath the bed,
An there the fand the bonnie lad-bairn,
Lyin lappin in his blood.
4
‘Gae buss ye, Marie Hamilton,Gae buss ye, buss ye bra,
For ye maun away to Edin[brough] town,
The queen's birthday [OMITTED]’
5
She wadna put on her black, bla[ck] silk,Nor wad she put on the brown,
But she pat on the glisterin stufs,
To glister in Edinbrough town.
6
An whan she cam to the water-gateLoud laughters gae she three,
But whan she cam to the Netherbow Port
The tear blinded Marie's ee.
7
'Twas up than spak Queen Marie's nurse,An a sorry woman was she:
‘Whae sae clever o fit and ready o wit
Has telld sic news o thee!’
8
‘Oft have I [OMITTED] Queen Marie's headOft have I caimd her hair,
An a' the thanks I've gotten for that
Is the gallows to be my heir!
9
‘Oft have I dressd Queen Marie's head,An laid her in her bed,
An a' the thanks I've gotten for that
Is the green gallows-tree to tread!
10
‘O spare, O spare, O judge,’ she cried,‘O spair a day for me!’
‘There is nae law in our land, ladie,
To let a murderer be.’
11
‘Yestreen the queen had four Maries,The night she'll hae but three;
There was Marie Seaton, and Ma[rie] Bea[ton],
An Marie Carmichael, an me.
12
‘O if my father now but kendThe death that I'm to die,
O muckle, muckle wad be the red gowd
That he wad gie for me.
13
‘An if my brothers kend the deathThat I am now to die,
O muckle, muckle wad be the red blood
That wad be shed for me.’
MARY HAMILTON—W
1
There lived a man in the North CountreeAnd he had doghters three;
The youngest o them's to Edinbourgh gaen,
Ane o the queen's Marys to be.
2
Queen Mary's bread it was sae white,And her wine it ran sae clear,
It shewed her the way to the butler's bed,
And I wait she's bought dear.
3
For Mary's to the garden gaen,To eat o the saven tree,
And a' 's to pit her young son back.
But back he wad na be.
4
So Mary's to her chamber gaen,[OMITTED]
[OMITTED]
[OMITTED]
5
Queen Mary she came down the stair,And a' her maids afore her:
‘Oh, Mary Miles, where is the child
That I have heard greet sae sore O?’
6
‘There is no child with me, madam,There is no child with me;
It was only a bit of a cholick I took,
And I thought I was gawen to dee.’
7
So they looked up, and they looked down,And they looked beneath the bed-foot,
And there they saw a bonnie boy,
Lying weltering in his blood.
8
[OMITTED][OMITTED]
‘Since that you have killed your own dear child,
The same death you shall dee.’
9
When Mary came afore the court,A loud laugh laughed she;
But when she came to the [gallows-]fit
The tear blinded her ee.
10
‘O wha will comb Queen Mary's heed?Or wha will brade her hair?
And wha will lace her middle sae jimp
Whan [I] am nae langer there?
11
‘Yestreen the queen [had] four Maries,The night she'll hae but three;
There was Mary Seaten, and Mary Beaten,
And Mary Carmichal, and me.
12
‘I'll not put on my robes of black,Nor yet my robes of brown,
But I'll put on a shining braw garb,
That will shine thro Edinbourgh town.’
13
Oh, whan she came to the Cannongate,The Cannongate sae hee,
There mony a lord and belted knight
Was grieved for her beautee.
14
And whan she came to [the] Hee Town,The Hee Town sae hee,[OMITTED]
The Queen's Maries
MARY HAMILTON—X
1
There livd a lord in the West Country,And he had daughters three;
The youngest o them's to the queen's court,
To learn some courtesy.
2
She hadna been at the queen's courtA year but and a day
Till she has fa'n as big wi child,
As big as she coud gae.
3
She's gane into the gardenTo pu the sycamore tree,
And taen the bony bairn in her arms
And thrown it in the sea.
4
She rowd it in her apronAnd threw it in the sea:
‘Gae sink or soom, my bony sweet babe,
Ye'll never get mair o me.’
5
Then in an came Queen Mary,Wi gowd rings on her hair:
‘O Mary mild, where is the child
That I heard greet sae sair?’
6
‘It wasna a babe, my royal liege,Last night that troubled me,
But it was a fit o sair sickness,
And I was lyken to dee.’
7
‘O hold yere tongue, Mary Hamilton,Sae loud as I hear ye lee!
For I'll send you to Enbro town,
The verity to see.’
8
She wadna put on the ribbons o black,Nor yet wad she the brown,
But she wad put on the ribbons o gowd,
To gae glittring through Enbro town.
9
As she rade up the Sands o Leith,Riding on a white horse,
O little did she think that day
To die at Enbro Corss!
10
As she rade up the Cannongate,She leugh loud laughters three,
And mony a lord and lady said,
‘Alas for that lady!’
11
‘Ye needna say Oh, ye needna cry Eh,Alas for that lady!
Ye'll neer see grace in a graceless face,
As little ye'll see in me.’
12
When she came to the Netherbow Port,She leugh loud laughters three,
But ere she came to the gallows-foot
The tear blinded her eie;
Saying, Tye a white napkin owr my face,
For that gibbet I downa see.
13
‘O hold yere hand, Lord Justice!O hold it a little while!
I think I see my ain true-love
Come wandring mony a mile.
14
‘O have ye brought me ony o my gowd?Or ony o my weel-won fee?
Or are ye come to see me hangd,
Upon this gallows-tree?’
15
‘O I hae brought ye nane o yere gowd,Nor nane o yere weel-won fee,
But I am come to see ye hangd,
And hangit ye shall be.’
16
‘O all ye men and mariners,That sail for wealth or fame,
Let never my father or mother get wit
But what I'm coming hame.
17
‘O all ye men and mariners,That sail upon the sea,
Let never my father or mother get wit
The death that I maun dee.
18
‘Yestreen the queen had four Maries,The night she'll hae but three;
There was Mary Seaton, and Mary Beaton,
And Mary Carmichael, and me.’
The Queen's Marys
MARY HAMILTON—Y
1
‘Yestreen the queen had four Marys,The night she'll hae but three;
She had Mary Beaton, and Mary Seaton,
And Mary Carmichael, and me.
2
‘My feather was the Duke of York,My mother a gay lady,
And I mysell a bonnie young may,
And the king fell in love we me.
3
‘The king's kisses they were so sweet,And his wine it was so strong,
That I became a mother
Before fifteen years old.’
4
‘O tell the truth now, Mary,And sett this matter right;
What hae ye made o the babey
Was greeting yesternight?’
5
‘O I will tell you, madam the queen,I winna tell a lie;
I put it in a bottomless boat
And bad it sail the sea.’
6
‘Ye lie, ye lie now, Mary,Sae loud's I hear you lie!
You wasnae out o the palace,
So that coud never be.’
7
‘Weel I will tell you, madam,Though it should gar me weep;
I stabbd it we my little pen-knife,
And bad it take a sleep.’
8
When she came up the Netherbow,She geed loud laughters three;
But when she came out o the Parliament Close
The tear blinded her ee.
9
‘O little does my feather kenThe death I am to die,
Or muckel wad be the red, red gould
Wad be payed doun for me.
10
‘O little does my mother thinkThe death that I am to die,
Or monie wad be the saut, saut tears
That she wad shed for me.
11
‘O never lett my brothers kenThe death that I am to die,
For muckel wad be the red, red blood
That wad be shed for me.
12
‘Aft hae I washd the king's bonnie face,Kaimd doun his yellow hair,
And this is a' the reward he's geen me,
The gallows to be my share.’
The Queen's Marie
MARY HAMILTON—Z
[_]
“Scotch Ballads, Materials for Border Minstrelsy,” No 90 a, Abbotsford; in the handwriting of John Leyden.
1
‘Buss ye, bonny Marie Hamilton,Buss and gae wi me,
For ye maun gae to Edinborough,
A great wedding to see.’
2
‘Ride hooly, hooly, gentlemen,Ride hooly now wi me,
For never, I'm sure, a wearier bride
Rode in your cumpany.’
3
Little wist Marie Hamilton,When she rode on the brown,
That she was gawn to Edinborough,
And a' to be put down.
4
When she came to the Council stairs,She ga loud laughters three;
But or that she came down again
She was condemmd to dee.
5
‘O ye mariners, mariners, mariners,When ye sail oer the faem,
Let never my father nor mother to wit
But I'm just coming hame.
6
‘Let never my father nor mother to wit,Nor my bauld brether[en] three,
Or meckle wad be the red, red gowd
This day be gien for me.
7
‘Let never my father or mother to wit,Nor my bauld brethren three,
Or meckle war the red, red blude
This day wad fa for me.’
MARY HAMILTON—AA
[_]
“Scotch Ballads, Materials for Border Minstrelsy,” No 142, Abbotsford; in the handwriting of James Hogg.
An oft hae I curld her hair,
An now I hae gotten for my reward
A gallows to be heir.’
The Queen's Maries
MARY HAMILTON—BB
[_]
Communicated by Mr Andrew Lang as received from Mrs Arthur Smith; sung by a nurse. 4 is clearly modern.
1
Yestreen the queen had four Maries,But the nicht she'll hae but three;
There was Mary Beaton, and Mary Seaton,
And Mary Carmichell, and me.
2
Oh little did my mither think,At nicht when she cradled me,
That I wad sleep in a nameless grave
And hang on the gallows-tree.
Yestreen, etc.
3
They'll tie a kerchief round my een,And they'll na let me see t'dee,
And they'll spread my story thro a' the land,
Till it reaches my ain countrie.
4
I wish I micht sleep in the auld kirkyard,Beneath the hazel tree,
Where aft we played in the long simmer nichts,
My brithers and sisters and me.
399
174
EARL BOTHWELL
Earle Bodwell
400
1
Woe worth thee, woe worth thee, false Scottlande!Ffor thou hast euer wrought by a sleight;
For the worthyest prince that euer was borne,
You hanged vnder a cloud by night.
2
The Queene of France a letter wrote,And sealed itt with hart and ringe,
And bade him come Scottland within,
And shee wold marry him and crowne him king.
3
To be a king, itt is a pleasant thing,To bee a prince vnto a peere;
But you haue heard, and so haue I too,
A man may well by gold to deere.
4
There was an Italyan in that place,Was as wel beloued as euer was hee;
Lord David was his name,
Chamberlaine vnto the queene was hee.
5
Ffor if the king had risen forth of his place,He wold haue sitt him downe in the cheare,
And tho itt beseemed him not soe well,
Altho the king had beene present there.
6
Some lords in Scottland waxed wonderous wroth,And quarrelld with him for the nonce;
I shall you tell how itt beffell,
Twelue daggers were in him all att once.
401
7
When this queene see the chamberlaine was slaine,For him her cheeks shee did weete,
And made a vow for a twelue month and a day
The king and shee wold not come in one sheete.
8
Then some of the lords of Scottland waxed wrothe,And made their vow vehementlye,
‘For death of the queenes chamberlaine
The king himselfe he shall dye.’
9
They strowed his chamber ouer with gunpowder,And layd greenë rushes in his way;
Ffor the traitors thought that night
The worthy king for to betray.
10
To bedd the worthy king made him bowne,To take his rest, that was his desire;
He was noe sooner cast on sleepe,
But his chamber was on a blasing fyer.
11
Vp he lope, and a glasse window broke,He had thirty foote for to ffall;
Lord Bodwell kept a priuy wach
Vnderneath his castle-wall:
‘Who haue wee heere?’ sayd Lord Bodwell;
‘Answer me, now I doe call.’
12
‘King Henery the Eighth my vnckle was;Some pitty show for his sweet sake!
Ah, Lord Bodwell, I know thee well;
Some pitty on me I pray thee take!’
13
‘I'le pitty thee as much,’ he sayd,‘And as much favor I'le show to thee
As thou had on the queene's chamberlaine
That day thou deemedst him to dye.’
14
Through halls and towers this king they ledd,Through castles and towers that were hye,
Through an arbor into an orchard,
And there hanged him in a peare tree.
15
When the gouernor of Scottland he heard tellThat the worthye king he was slaine,
He hath banished the queene soe bitterlye
That in Scottland shee dare not remaine.
16
But shee is ffled into merry England,And Scottland to a side hath laine,
And through the Queene of Englands good grace
Now in England shee doth remaine.
175
THE RISING IN THE NORTH
Risinge in the Northe
404
1
Listen, liuely lordings all,And all that beene this place within:
If you'le giue eare vnto my songe,
I will tell you how this geere did begin.
2
It was the good Erle of Westmorlande,A noble erle was callëd hee,
And he wrought treason against the crowne;
Alas, itt was the more pittye!
3
And soe itt was the Erle of Northumberland,Another good noble erle was hee;
They tooken both vpon one part,
Against the crowne they wolden bee.
4
Earle Pearcy is into his garden gone,And after walkes his awne ladye:
‘I heare a bird sing in my eare
That I must either ffight or fflee.’
5
‘God fforbidd,’ shee sayd, ‘good my lord,That euer soe that it shalbee!
But goe to London to the court,
And faire ffall truth and honestye!’
6
‘But nay, now nay, my ladye gay,That euer it shold soe bee;
My treason is knowen well enoughe;
Att the court I must not bee.’
405
7
‘But goe to the court yet, good my lord,Take men enowe with thee;
If any man will doe you wronge,
Your warrant they may bee.’
8
‘But nay, now nay, my lady gay,For soe itt must not bee;
If I goe to the court, ladye,
Death will strike me, and I must dye.’
9
‘But goe to the court yett, [good] my lord,I my-selfe will ryde with thee;
If any man will doe you wronge,
Your borrow I shalbee.’
10
‘But nay, now nay, my lady gay,For soe it must not bee;
For if I goe to the court, ladye,
Thou must me neuer see.
11
‘But come hither, thou litle foot-page,Come thou hither vnto mee,
For thou shalt goe a message to Master Norton,
In all the hast that euer may bee.
12
‘Comend me to that gentleman;Bring him here this letter from mee,
And say, I pray him earnestlye
That hee will ryde in my companye.’
13
But one while the foote-page went,Another while he rann;
Vntill he came to Master Norton,
The ffoot-page neuer blanne.
14
And when he came to Master Nortton,He kneeled on his knee,
And tooke the letter betwixt his hands,
And lett the gentleman it see.
15
And when the letter itt was reade,Affore all his companye,
I-wis, if you wold know the truth,
There was many a weeping eye.
16
He said, Come hither, Kester Nortton,A ffine ffellow thou seemes to bee;
Some good councell, Kester Nortton,
This day doe thou giue to mee.
17
‘Marry, I'le giue you councell, ffather,If you'le take councell att me,
That if you haue spoken the word, father,
That backe againe you doe not flee.’
18
‘God a mercy! Christopher Nortton,I say, God a mercye!
If I doe liue and scape with liffe,
Well advanced shalt thou bee.
19
‘But come you hither, my nine good sonnes,In mens estate I thinke you bee;
How many of you, my children deare,
On my part that wilbe?’
20
But eight of them did answer soone,And spake ffull hastilye;
Sayes, We wilbe on your part, ffather,
Till the day that we doe dye.
21
‘But God a mercy! my children deare,And euer I say God a mercy!
And yett my blessing you shall haue,
Whether-soeuer I liue or dye.
22
‘But what sayst thou, thou Ffrancis Nortton,Mine eldest sonne and mine heyre trulye?
Some good councell, Ffrancis Nortton,
This day thou giue to me.’
23
‘But I will giue you councell, ffather,If you will take councell att mee;
For if you wold take my councell, father,
Against the crowne you shold not bee.’
24
‘But ffye vpon thee, Ffrancis Nortton!I say ffye vpon thee!
When thou was younge and tender of age
I made ffull much of thee.’
25
‘But your head is white, ffather,’ he sayes,‘And your beard is wonderous gray;
Itt were shame ffor your countrye
If you shold rise and fflee away.’
26
‘But ffye vpon thee, thou coward Ffrancis!Thou neuer tookest that of mee!
When thou was younge and tender of age
I made too much of thee.’
27
‘But I will goe with you, father,’ quoth hee;‘Like a naked man will I bee;
He that strikes the first stroake against the crowne,
An ill death may hee dye!’
406
28
But then rose vpp Master Nortton, that esquier,With him a ffull great companye;
And then the erles they comen downe
To ryde in his companye.
29
Att Whethersbye the mustered their men,Vpon a ffull fayre day;
Thirteen thousand there were seene
To stand in battel ray.
30
The Erle of Westmoreland, he had in his ancyentThe dunn bull in sight most hye,
And three doggs with golden collers
Were sett out royallye.
31
The Erle of Northumberland, he had in his ancyentThe halfe moone in sight soe hye,
As the Lord was crucifyed on the crosse,
And set forthe pleasantlye.
32
And after them did rise good Sir George Bowes,After them a spoyle to make;
The erles returned backe againe,
Thought euer that knight to take.
33
This barron did take a castle then,Was made of lime and stone;
The vttermost walls were ese to be woon;
The erles haue woon them anon.
34
But tho they woone the vttermost walls,Quickly and anon,
The innermust walles the cold not winn;
The were made of a rocke of stone.
35
But newes itt came to leeue London,In all the speede that euer might bee;
And word it came to our royall queene
Of all the rebells in the north countrye.
36
Shee turned her grace then once about,And like a royall queene shee sware;
Sayes, I will ordaine them such a breake-fast
As was not in the north this thousand yeere!
37
Shee caused thirty thousand men to be made,With horsse and harneis all quicklye;
And shee caused thirty thousand men to be made,
To take the rebells in the north countrye.
38
They tooke with them the false Erle of Warwicke,Soe did they many another man;
Vntill they came to Yorke castle,
I-wis they neuer stinted nor blan.
39
[OMITTED][OMITTED]
‘Spread thy ancyent, Erle of Westmoreland!
The halfe-moone ffaine wold wee see!’
40
But the halfe-moone is fled and gone,And the dun bull vanished awaye;
And Ffrancis Nortton and his eight sonnes
Are ffled away most cowardlye.
41
Ladds with mony are counted men,Men without mony are counted none;
But hold your tounge! why say you soe?
Men wilbe men when mony is gone.
408
176
NORTHUMBERLAND BETRAYED BY DOUGLAS
Northumberland betrayd by Dowglas
411
1
Now list and lithe, you gentlemen,And I'st tell you the veretye,
How they haue dealt with a banished man,
Driuen out of his countrye.
2
When as hee came on Scottish ground,As woe and wonder be them amonge!
Ffull much was there traitorye
The wrought the Erle of Northumberland.
3
When they were att the supper sett,Beffore many goodly gentlemen,
The ffell a fflouting and mocking both,
And said to the Erle of Northumberland:
4
‘What makes you be soe sad, my lord,And in your mind soe sorrowffullye?
In the north of Scottland to-morrow there's a shooting,
And thither thou'st goe, my Lord Percye.
5
‘The buttes are sett, and the shooting is made,And there is like to be great royaltye,
And I am sworne into my bill
Thither to bring my Lord Pearcy.’
6
‘I'le giue thee my hand, Douglas,’ he sayes,‘And be the faith in my bodye,
If that thou wilt ryde to the worlds end,
I'le ryde in thy companye.’
7
And then bespake the good ladye,Marry a Douglas was her name:
‘You shall byde here, good English lord;
My brother is a traiterous man.
8
‘He is a traitor stout and stronge,As I'st tell you the veretye;
For he hath tane liuerance of the Erle,
And into England he will liuor thee.’
412
9
‘Now hold thy tounge, thou goodlye ladye,And let all this talking bee;
Ffor all the gold that's in Loug Leuen,
William wold not liuor mee.
10
‘It wold breake truce betweene England and Scottland,And freinds againe they wold neuer bee,
If he shold liuor a bani[s]ht erle,
Was driuen out of his owne countrye.’
11
‘Hold your tounge, my lord,’ shee sayes,‘There is much ffalsehood them amonge;
When you are dead, then they are done,
Soone they will part them freinds againe.
12
‘If you will giue me any trust, my lord,I'le tell you how you best may bee;
You'st lett my brother ryde his wayes,
And tell those English lords, trulye,
13
‘How that you cannot with them ryde,Because you are in an ile of the sea;
Then, ere my brother come againe,
To Edenborrow castle I'le carry thee.
14
‘I'le liuor you vnto the Lord Hume,And you know a trew Scothe lord is hee,
For he hath lost both land and goods
In ayding of your good bodye.’
15
‘Marry, I am woe, woman,’ he sayes,‘That any freind fares worse for mee;
For where one saith it is a true tale,
Then two will say it is a lye.
16
‘When I was att home in my [realme],Amonge my tennants all trulye,
In my time of losse, wherin my need stoode,
They came to ayd me honestlye.
17
‘Therfore I left a many a child ffatherlese,And many a widdow to looke wanne;
And therfore blame nothing, ladye,
But the woeffull warres which I began.’
18
‘If you will giue me noe trust, my lord,Nor noe credence you will give mee,
And you'le come hither to my right hand,
Indeed, my lorid, I'le lett you see.’
19
Saies, I neuer loued noe witchcraft,Nor neuer dealt with treacherye,
But euermore held the hye way;
Alas, that may be seene by mee!
20
‘If you will not come your selfe, my lord,You'le lett your chamberlaine goe with mee,
Three words that I may to him speake,
And soone he shall come againe to thee.’
21
When Iames Swynard came that lady before,Shee let him see thorrow the weme of her ring
How many there was of English lords
To wayte there for his master and him.
22
‘But who beene yonder, my good ladye,That walkes soe royallye on yonder greene?’
‘Yonder is Lord Hunsden, Iamye,’ she saye[d],
‘Alas, hee'le doe you both tree and teene!’
23
‘And who beene yonder, thou gay ladye,That walkes soe royallye him beside?’
‘Yond is Sir William Drurye, Iamy,’ shee sayd,
‘And a keene captain hee is, and tryde.’
24
‘How many miles is itt, thou good ladye,Betwixt yond English lord and mee?’
‘Marry, thrise fifty mile, Iamy,’ shee sayd,
‘And euen to seale and by the sea.
25
‘I neuer was on English ground,Nor neuer see itt with mine eye,
But as my witt and wisedome serues,
And as [the] booke it telleth mee.
26
‘My mother, shee was a witch woman,And part of itt shee learned mee;
Shee wold let me see out of Lough Leuen
What they dyd in London cytye.’
27
‘But who is yonde, thou good laydye,That comes yonder with an osterne fface?’
‘Yond's Sir Iohn Forster, Iamye,’ shee sayd;
‘Methinkes thou sholdest better know him then I.’
‘Euen soe I doe, my goodlye ladye,
And euer alas, soe woe am I!’
28
He pulled his hatt ouer his eyes,And, Lord, he wept soe tenderlye!
He is gone to his master againe,
And euen to tell him the veretye.
413
29
‘Now hast thou beene with Marry, Iamy,’ he sayd,‘Euen as thy tounge will tell to mee;
But if thou trust in any womans words,
Thou must refraine good companye.’
30
‘It is noe words, my lord,’ he sayes;‘Yonder the men shee letts me see,
How many English lords there is
Is wayting there for you and mee.
31
‘Yonder I see the Lord Hunsden,And hee and you is of the third degree;
A greater enemye, indeed, my Lord,
In England none haue yee.’
32
‘And I haue beene in Lough LevenThe most part of these yeeres three:
Yett had I neuer noe out-rake,
Nor good games that I cold see.
33
‘And I am thus bidden to yonder shootingBy William Douglas all trulye;
Therfore speake neuer a word out of thy mouth
That thou thinkes will hinder mee.’
34
Then he writhe the gold ring of his ffingarAnd gaue itt to that ladye gay;
Sayes, That was a legacye left vnto mee
In Harley woods where I cold bee.
35
‘Then ffarewell hart, and farewell hand,And ffarwell all good companye!
That woman shall neuer beare a sonne
Shall know soe much of your priuitye.’
36
‘Now hold thy tounge, ladye,’ hee sayde,‘And make not all this dole for mee,
For I may well drinke, but I'st neuer eate,
Till againe in Lough Leuen I bee.’
37
He tooke his boate att the Lough Leuen,For to sayle now ouer the sea,
And he hath cast vpp a siluer wand,
Saies, Fare thou well, my good ladye!
The ladye looked ouer her left sholder;
In a dead swoone there fell shee.
38
‘Goe backe againe, Douglas!’ he sayd,‘And I will goe in thy companye,
For sudden sicknesse yonder lady has tane,
And euer, alas, shee will but dye!
39
‘If ought come to yonder ladye but good,Then blamed sore that I shall bee,
Because a banished man I am,
And driuen out of my owne countrye.’
40
‘Come on, come on, my lord,’ he sayes,‘And lett all such talking bee;
There's ladyes enow in Lough Leuen
And for to cheere yonder gay ladye.’
41
‘And you will not goe your selfe, my lord,You will lett my chamberlaine go with mee;
Wee shall now take our boate againe,
And soone wee shall ouertake thee.’
42
‘Come on, come on, my lord,’ he sayes,‘And lett now all this talking bee;
Ffor my sister is craftye enoughe
For to beguile thousands such as you and mee.’
43
When they had sayled fifty myle,Now fifty mile vpon the sea,
Hee had fforgotten a message that hee
Shold doe in Lough Leuen trulye:
Hee asked, how ffarr it was to that shooting
That William Douglas promised mee.
44
‘Now faire words makes fooles faine,And that may be seene by thy master and thee;
Ffor you may happen think itt soone enoughe
When-euer you that shooting see.’
45
Iamye pulled his hatt now ouer his browe,I wott the teares fell in his eye;
And he is to his master againe,
And ffor to tell him the veretye.
46
‘He sayes fayre words makes fooles faine,And that may be seene by you and mee,
Ffor wee may happen thinke itt soone enoughe
When-euer wee that shooting see.
47
‘Hold vpp thy head, Iamye,’ the erle sayd,‘And neuer lett thy hart fayle thee;
He did itt but to proue thee with,
And see how thow wold take with death trulye.’
48
When they had sayled other fifty mile,Other fifty mile vpon the sea,
414
And sayd, Douglas, what wilt thou doe with mee?
49
‘Looke that your brydle be wight, my lord,That you may goe as a shipp att sea;
Looke that your spurres be bright and sharpe,
That you may pricke her while shee'le awaye.’
50
‘What needeth this, Douglas,’ he sayth,‘That thou needest to ffloute mee?
For I was counted a horsseman good
Before that euer I mett with thee.
51
‘A ffalse Hector hath my horsse,And euer an euill death may hee dye!
And Willye Armestronge hath my spurres
And all the geere belongs to mee.’
52
When the had sayled other fifty mile,Other fifty mile vpon the sea,
The landed low by Barwicke-side;
A deputed lord landed Lord Pereye.
416
177
THE EARL OF WESTMORELAND
Earle of Westmorlande
419
1
‘How long shall fortune faile me now,And keepe me heare in deadlye dreade?
How long shall I in bale abide,
In misery my life to leade?
2
‘To ffall from my rose, it was my chance;Such was the Queene of England free;
I tooke a lake, and turned my backe,
On Bramaball More shee caused me flye.
3
‘One gentle Armstrong that I doe ken,Alas, with thee I dare not mocke!
Thou dwellest soe far on the west border,
Thy name is called the Lord Iocke.’
4
Now hath Armstrong taken noble Nevill,And as one Martinfield did profecye;
He hath taken the Lord Dakers,
A lords sonne of great degree.
5
He hath taken old Master Nortton,And sonnes four in his companye;
Hee hath taken another gentleman,
Called Iohn of Carnabie.
6
Then bespake him Charles Nevill;To all his men, I wott, sayd hee,
Sayes, I must into Scottland fare;
Soe nie the borders is noe biding for me.
7
When he came to Humes Castle,And all his noble companye;
The Lord Hume halched them right soone,
Saying, Banished men, welcome to mee!
8
They had not beene in Humes CastleNot a month and dayes three,
But the regent of Scottland and he got witt
That banished men there shold be.
9
‘I'le write a letter,’ sayd the regent then,‘And send to Humes Castle hastilye,
To see whether Lord Hume wilbe soe good
To bring the banished men vnto mee.
10
‘That lord and I haue beene att deadlye fuyde,And hee and I cold neuer agree;
Writting a letter, that will not serue;
The banished men must not speake with me.
11
‘But I will send for the garrison of Barwicke,That they will come all with speede,
And with them will come a noble captaine,
Which is called Captain Reade.’
12
Then the Lord Hume he got wittThey wold seeke vnto Nevill, where he did lye;
He tooke them out of the castle of Hume,
And brought them into the castle of Camelye.
13
Then bespake him Charles Nevill,To all his men, I wott, spoke hee,
Sayes, I must goe take a noble shippe,
And wee'le be marriners vpon the sea.
14
I'le seeke out fortune where it doth lye;In Scottland there is noe byding for mee;
Then the tooke leaue with fayre Scottland,
For they are sealing vpon the sea.
15
They had not sayled vpon the seaNot one day and monthes three,
But they were ware of a Noble shippe,
That fiue topps bare all soe hye.
16
Then Nevill called to Martinfeeld,Sayd, Martinffeeld, come hither to mee;
Some good councell, Martinfeeld,
I pray thee giue it vnto mee.
17
Thou told me when I was in England fayre,Before that I did take the sea,
Thou neuer sawst noe banner borne
But thou wold ken it with thine eye.
420
18
Thou neuer saw noe man in the face,Iff thou had seene before with thine eye,
[But] thou coldest haue kend thy freind by thy foe,
And then haue told it vnto mee.
19
Thou neuer heard noe speeche spoken,Neither in Greeke nor Hebrewe,
[But] thou coldest haue answered them in any language,
And then haue told it vnto mee.
20
‘Master, master, see you yonder faire ancyent?Yonder is the serpent and the serpents head,
The mould-warpe in the middest of itt,
And itt all shines with gold soe redde.
21
‘Yonder is Duke Iohn of Austria,A noble warryour on the sea,
Whose dwelling is in Ciuill land,
And many men, God wot, hath hee.’
22
Then bespake him Martinfeelde,To all his fellowes, I wot, said hee,
Turne our noble shipp about,
And that's a token that wee will flee.
23
‘Thy councell is not good, Martinfeeld;Itt falleth not out fitting for mee;
I rue the last time I turnd my backe;
I did displease my prince and the countrye.’
24
Then bespake him noble Nevill,To all his men, I wott, sayd hee,
Sett me vp my faire Dun Bull,
With gilden hornes hee beares all soe hye.
25
And I will passe yonder noble Duke,By the leaue of mild Marye;
For yonder is the Duke of Austria,
That trauells now vpon the sea.
26
And then bespake this noble Duke,Vnto his men then sayd hee,
Yonder is sure some nobleman,
Or else some youth that will not flee.
27
I will put out a pinace fayre,A harold of armes vpon the sea,
And goe thy way to yonder noble shippe,
And bring the masters name to mee.
28
When the herald of armes came before noble Nevill,He fell downe low vpon his knee:
‘You must tell me true what is your name,
And in what countrye your dwelling may bee.’
29
‘That will I not doe,’ sayd noble Nevill,‘By Mary mild, that mayden ffree,
Except I first know thy masters name,
And in what country his dwelling may bee.’
30
Then bespake the herald of armes,O that he spoke soe curteouslye!
Duke Iohn of Austria is my masters name,
He will neuer lene it vpon the sea.
31
He hath beene in the citye of Rome,His dwelling is in Ciuillee:
‘Then wee are poore Brittons,’ the Nevill can say,
‘Where wee trauell vpon the sea.
32
‘And Charles Nevill itt is my name,I will neuer lene it vpon the sea;
When I was att home in England faire,
I was the Erle of Westmoreland,’ sayd hee.
33
Then backe is gone this herald of armesWhereas this noble duke did lye;
‘Loe, yonder are poore Brittons,’ can he say,
‘Where the trauell vpon the sea.
34
‘And Charles Nevill is their masters name,He will neuer lene it vpon the sea;
When he was at home in England fayre,
He was the Erle of Westmoreland, said hee.’
35
Then bespake this noble duke,And euer he spake soe hastilye,
And said, Goe backe to yonder noble-man,
And bid him come and speake with me.
36
For I haue read in the Booke of Mable,There shold a Brittaine come ouer the sea,
Charles Nevill with a childs voice:
I pray God that it may be hee.
37
When these two nobles they didden meete,They halched eche other right curteouslye;
Yett Nevill halched Iohn the sooner
Because a banished man, alas! was hee.
421
38
‘Call in your men,’ sayd this noble duke,‘Faine your men that I wold see;’
‘Euer alas!’ said noble Nevill,
‘They are but a litle small companye.’
39
First he called in Martinfield,That Martinffeeld that cold prophecye;
He call[ed] in then Lord Dakers,
A lords sonne of high degree.
40
Then called he in old Master Nortton,And sonnes four in his companye;
He called in one other gentleman,
Called Iohn of Carnabye.
41
‘Loe! these be all my men,’ said noble Nevill,‘And all that's in my companye;
When we were att home in England fayre,
Our prince and wee cold not agree.’
42
Then bespake this noble duke:To try your manhood on the sea,
Old Master Nortton shall goe ouer into France,
And his sonnes four in his companye.
43
And my lord Dakers shall goe over into Ffrance,There a captaine ffor to bee;
And those two other gentlement wold goe with him,
And for to fare in his companye.
44
And you your-selfe shall goe into Ciuill land,And Marttinffeild that can prophecye;
‘That will I not doe,’ sayd noble Nevill,
‘By Mary mild, that mayden free.
45
‘For the haue knowen me in wele and woe,In neede, scar[s]nesse and pouertye;
Before I'le part with the worst of them,
I'le rather part with my liffe,’ sayd hee.
46
And then bespake this noble duke,And euer he spake soe curteouslye;
Sayes, You shall part with none of them,
There is soe much manhood in your bodye.
47
Then these two noblemen labored together,Pleasantlye vpon the sea;
Their landing was in Ciuill land,
In Ciuilee that ffaire citye.
48
Three nights att this dukes Nevill did lye,And serued like a nobleman was hee;
Then the duke made a supplication,
And sent it to the queene of Ciuilee.
49
Saying, Such a man is your citye within,I mett him pleasantlye vpon the sea;
He seemes to be a noble man,
And captaine to your Grace he faine wold bee.
50
Then the queene sent for [these] noble menFor to come into her companye;
When Nevill came before the queene,
Hee kneeled downe vpon his knee.
51
Shee tooke him vp by the lilly-white hand,Said, Welcome, my lord, hither to me;
You must first tell me your name,
And in what countrye thy dwelling may bee.
52
He said, Charles Nevill is my name;I will neuer lene it in noe countrye;
When I was att home in England fayre,
I was the Erle of Westmorland trulye.
53
The queene made him captaine ouer forty thousand,Watch and ward within Ciuill land to keepe,
And for to warr against the heathen soldan,
And for to helpe her in her neede.
54
When the heathen soldan he gott witt,In Barbarye where he did lye,
Sainge, Such a man is in yonder citye within,
And a bold venturer by sea is hee,
55
Then the heathen soldan made a letter,And sent it to the queene instantlye,
And all that heard this letter reade
Where it was rehersed in Ciuillee.
56
Saying, Haue you any man your land withinMan to man dare fight with mee?
And both our lands shalbe ioyned in one,
And cristened lands they both shalbe.
57
Shee said, I haue noe man my land withinMan to man dare fight with thee;
But euery day thou shalt haue a battell,
If it be for these weekes three.
58
All beheard him Charles Nevill,In his bedd where he did lye,
And when he came the queene before,
He fell downe low vpon his knee.
422
59
‘Grant me a boone, my noble dame,For Chrissts loue that dyed on tree;
Ffor I will goe fight with yond heathen soldan,
If you will bestowe the manhood on mee.’
60
Then bespake this curteous queene,And euer shee spoke soe curteouslye:
Though you be a banished man out of your realme,
It is great pitye that thou shold dye.
61
Then bespake this noble duke,As hee stood hard by the queenes knee:
As I haue read in the Booke of Mable,
There shall a Brittone come ouer the sea,
62
And Charles Nevill shold be his name;But a childs voyce, I wott, hath hee,
And if he be in Christendome;
For hart and hand this man hath hee.
63
Then the queenes councell cast their heads to gether,[OMITTED]
That Nevill shold fight with the heathen soldan
That dwelt in the citye of Barbarye.
64
The battell and place appointed wasIn a fayre greene, hard by the sea,
And they shood meete att the Headless Crosse,
And there to fight right manfullye.
65
Then Nevill cald for the queenes ancient,And faine that ancient he wold see;
The brought him forth the broken sword,
With bloodye hands therein trulye.
66
The brought him forth the headless crosse,In that ancyent it was seene;
‘O this is a token,’ sayd Martinfeeld,
‘That sore ouerthrowen this prince hath beene.
67
‘O sett me vp my fayre Dun Bull,And trumpetts blow me farr and nee,
Vntill I come within a mile of the Headlesse Crosse,
That the Headlesse Crosse I may see.’
68
Then lighted downe noble Nevill,And sayd, Marttinffeeld, come hither to me;
Heere I make thee choice captain over my host
Vntill againe I may thee see.
69
Then Nevill rode to the Headless Crosse,Which stands soe fayre vpon the sea;
There was he ware of the heathen soldan,
Both fowle and vglye for to see.
70
Then the soldan began for to call;Twise he called lowd and hye,
And sayd, What is this? Some kitchin boy
That comes hither to fight with mee?
71
Then bespake him Charles Nevill,But a childs voice, I wott, had hee:
‘Thou spekest soe litle of Gods might,
Much more lesse I doe care for thee.’
72
Att the first meeting that these two mett,The heathen soldan and the christen man,
The broke their speares quite in sunder,
And after that on foote did stand.
73
The next meeting that these two mett,The swapt together with swords soe fine;
The fought together till they both swett,
Of blowes that were both derf and dire.
74
They fought an houre in battell strong;The soldan marke[d] Nevill with his eye;
‘There shall neuer man me ouercome
Except it be Charles Nevill,’ sayd hee.
75
Then Nevill he waxed bold,And cunning in fight, I wott, was hee;
Euen att the gorgett of the soldans iacke
He stroke his head of presentlye.
76
Then kneeled downe noble Nevill,And thanked God for his great grace,
That he shold come soe farr into a strang[e] land,
To ouercome the soldan in place.
77
Hee tooke the head vpon his sword-poynt,And carryed it amongst his host soe fayre;
When the saw the soldans head,
They thanked God on their knees there.
78
Seuen miles from the citye the queene him mett,With procession that was soe fayre;
Shee tooke the crowne beside her heade,
And wold haue crowned him king there.
79
‘Now nay! Now nay! my noble dame,For soe, I wott, itt cannott bee;
423
And wedded againe I wold not bee.’
80
The queene shee called for her penman,I wot shee called him lowd and hye,
Saying, Write him downe a hundred pound a day,
To keepe his men more merrylye.
81
‘I thanke your Grace,’ sayd noble Nevill,‘For this worthy gift you haue giuen to me;
If euer your Grace doe stand in neede,
Champion to your Highnesse again I'le bee.’
178
CAPTAIN CAR, OR, EDOM O GORDON
430
CAPTAIN CAR, OR, EDOM O GORDON—A
[_]
Cotton MS. Vespasian, A. xxv, No 67, fol. 187; Furnivall, in Transactions of the New Shakspere Society, 1880-86, Appendix, p. 52.
1
It befell at Martynmas,When wether waxed colde,
Captaine Care said to his men,
We must go take a holde.
Syck, sike, and to-towe sike,
And sike and like to die;
The sikest nighte that euer I abode,
God lord haue mercy on me!
And sike and like to die;
The sikest nighte that euer I abode,
God lord haue mercy on me!
2
‘Haille, master, and wether you will,And wether ye like it best;’
‘To the castle of Crecrynbroghe,
And there we will take our reste.’
3
‘I knowe wher is a gay castle,Is builded of lyme and stone;
Within their is a gay ladie,
Her lord is riden and gone.’
4
The ladie she lend on her castle-walle,She loked vpp and downe;
There was she ware of an host of men,
Come riding to the towne.
5
‘Se yow, my meri men all,And se yow what I see?
Yonder I see an host of men,
I muse who they bee.’
6
She thought he had ben her wed lord,As he comd riding home;
Then was it traitur Captaine Care
The lord of Ester-towne.
7
They wer no soner at supper sett,Then after said the grace,
Or Captaine Care and all his men
Wer lighte aboute the place.
8
‘Gyue ouer thi howsse, thou lady gay,And I will make the a bande;
To-nighte thou shall ly within my armes,
To-morrowe thou shall ere my lande.’
9
Then bespacke the eldest sonne,That was both whitt and redde:
O mother dere, geue ouer your howsse,
Or elles we shallbe deade.
10
‘I will not geue ouer my hous,’ she saithe,‘Not for feare of my lyffe;
It shalbe talked throughout the land,
The slaughter of a wyffe.
11
‘Fetch me my pestilett,And charge me my gonne,
That I may shott at yonder bloddy butcher,
The lord of Easter-towne.’
12
Styfly vpon her wall she stode,And lett the pellettes flee;
But then she myst the blody bucher,
And she slew other three.
13
‘[I will] not geue ouer my hous,’ she saithe,‘Netheir for lord nor lowne;
Nor yet for traitour Captaine Care,
The lord of Easter-towne.
14
‘I desire of Captine Care,And all his bloddye band,
That he would saue my eldest sonne,
The eare of all my lande.’
15
‘Lap him in a shete,’ he sayth,‘And let him downe to me,
And I shall take him in my armes,
His waran shall I be.’
16
The captayne sayd unto him selfe:Wyth sped, before the rest,
He cut his tonge out of his head,
His hart out of his brest.
431
17
He lapt them in a handkerchef,And knet it of knotes three,
And cast them ouer the castell-wall,
At that gay ladye.
18
‘Fye vpon the, Captayne Care,And all thy bloddy band!
For thou hast slayne my eldest sonne,
The ayre of all my land.’
19
Then bespake the yongest sonne,That sat on the nurses knee,
Sayth, Mother gay, geue ouer your house;
It smoldereth me.
20
‘I wold geue my gold,’ she saith,‘And so I wolde my ffee,
For a blaste of the westryn wind,
To dryue the smoke from thee.
21
‘Fy vpon the, John Hamleton,That euer I paid the hyre!
For thou hast broken my castle-wall,
And kyndled in the ffyre.’
22
The lady gate to her close parler,The fire fell aboute her head;
She toke vp her children thre,
Seth, Babes, we are all dead.
23
Then bespake the hye steward,That is of hye degree;
Saith, Ladie gay, you are in close,
Wether ye fighte or flee.
24
Lord Hamleton dremd in his dream,In Caruall where he laye,
His halle were all of fyre,
His ladie slayne or daye.
25
‘Busk and bowne, my mery men all,Even and go ye with me;
For I dremd that my haal was on fyre,
My lady slayne or day.’
26
He buskt him and bownd hym,And like a worthi knighte;
And when he saw his hall burning,
His harte was no dele lighte.
27
He sett a trumpett till his mouth,He blew as it plesd his grace;
Twenty score of Hamlentons
Was light aboute the place.
28
‘Had I knowne as much yesternighteAs I do to-daye,
Captaine Care and all his men
Should not haue gone so quite.
29
‘Fye vpon the, Captaine Care,And all thy blody bande!
Thou haste slayne my lady gay,
More wurth then all thy lande.
30
‘If thou had ought eny ill will,’ he saith,‘Thou shoulde haue taken my lyffe,
And haue saved my children thre,
All and my louesome wyffe.’
CAPTAIN CAR, OR, EDOM O GORDON—B
1
‘Ffaith, master, whither you will,Whereas you like the best;
Vnto the castle of Bittons-borrow,
And there to take your rest.’
2
‘But yonder stands a castle faire,Is made of lyme and stone;
Yonder is in it a fayre lady,
Her lord is ridden and gone.’
3
The lady stood on her castle-wall,She looked vpp and downe;
She was ware of an hoast of men,
Came rydinge towards the towne.
4
‘See you not, my merry men all,And see you not what I doe see?
Methinks I see a hoast of men;
I muse who they shold be.’
5
She thought it had beene her louly lord,He had come ryding home;
It was the traitor, Captaine Carre,
The lord of Westerton-towne.
6
They had noe sooner super sett,And after said the grace,
But the traitor, Captaine Carre,
Was light about the place.
7
‘Giue over thy house, thou lady gay,I will make thee a band;
432
To-morrow be the heyre of my land.’
8
‘I'le not giue over my house,’ shee said,‘Neither for ladds nor man,
Nor yet for traitor Captaine Carre,
Vntill my lord come home.
9
‘But reach me my pistoll pe[c]e,And charge you well my gunne;
I'le shoote at the bloody bucher,
The lord of Westerton.’
10
She stood vppon her castle-wallAnd let the bulletts flee,
And where shee mist [OMITTED]
[OMITTED]
11
But then bespake the litle child,That sate on the nurses knee;
Saies, Mother deere, giue ore this house,
For the smoake it smoothers me.
12
‘I wold giue all my gold, my childe,Soe wold I doe all my fee,
For one blast of the westerne wind
To blow the smoke from thee.’
13
But when shee saw the fierCame flaming ore her head,
Shee tooke then vpp her children two,
Sayes, Babes, we all beene dead!
14
But Adam then he fired the house,A sorrowfull sight to see;
Now hath he burned this lady faire
And eke her children three.
15
Then Captaine Carre he rode away,He staid noe longer at that tide;
He thought that place it was to warme
Soe neere for to abide.
16
He calld vnto his merry men all,Bidd them make hast away;
‘For we haue slaine his children three,
All and his lady gay.’
17
Worde came to louly London,To London wheras her lord lay,
His castle and his hall was burned,
All and his lady gay.
18
Soe hath he done his children three,More dearer vnto him
Then either the siluer or the gold,
That men soe faine wold win.
19
But when he looket this writing on,Lord, in is hart he was woe!
Saies, I will find thee, Captaine Carre,
Wether thou ryde or goe!
20
Buske yee, bowne yee, my merrymen all,With tempered swords of steele,
For till I haue found out Captaine Carre,
My hart it is nothing weele.
21
But when he came to Dractons-borrow,Soe long ere it was day,
And ther he found him Captaine Carre;
That night he ment to stay.
CAPTAIN CAR, OR, EDOM O GORDON—C
[_]
Communicated to Percy by Robert Lambe, Norham, October 4, 1766, being all that a servant of Lambe's could remember.
1
‘Luk ye to yon hie castel,Yon hie castel we see;
A woman's wit's sun oercum,
She'll gie up her house to me.’
2
She ca'd to her merry men a',‘Bring me my five pistols and my lang gun;’
The first shot the fair lady shot,
She shot seven of Gordon's men.
3
He turned round about his back,And sware he woud ha his desire,
And if that castel was built of gowd,
It should gang a' to fire.
4
Up then spak her doughter deere,She had nae mair than she:
433
The reek it skomfishes me.’
5
‘I d rather see you birnt,’ said she,‘And doun to ashes fa,
Ere I gie up my house to Adam of Gordon,
And to his merry men a'.
6
‘I've four and twenty kyeGaing upo the muir;
I'd gie em for a blast of wind,
The reek it blaws sae sour.’
7
Up then spak her little young son,Sits on the nourrice knee:
‘Gie up your house, now, mither deere,
The reek it skomfishes me.’
8
‘I've twenty four shipsA sailing on the sea;
I'll gie em for a blast of southern wind,
To blaw the reek frae thee.
9
‘I'd rather see you birnt,’ said she,‘And grund as sma as flour,
Eer I gie up my noble house,
To be Adam of Gordon's hure.’
Edom of Gordon
CAPTAIN CAR, OR, EDOM O GORDON—D
1
It fell about the Martinmas,When the wind blew schrile and cauld,
Said Edom o Gordon to his men,
We maun draw to a hald.
2
‘And what an a hald sall we draw to,My merry men and me?
We will gae to the house of the Rhodes,
To see that fair lady.’
3
She had nae sooner busket her sell,Nor putten on her gown,
Till Edom o Gordon and his men
Were round about the town.
4
They had nae sooner sitten down,Nor sooner said the grace,
Till Edom o Gordon and his men
Were closed about the place.
5
The lady ran up to her tower-head,As fast as she could drie,
To see if by her fair speeches
She could with him agree.
6
As soon he saw the lady fair,And hir yates all locked fast,
He fell into a rage of wrath,
And his heart was aghast.
7
‘Cum down to me, ye lady fair,Cum down to me; let's see;
This night ye's ly by my ain side,
The morn my bride sall be.’
8
‘I winnae cum down, ye fals Gordon,I winnae cum down to thee;
I winnae forsake my ane dear lord,
That is sae far frae me.’
9
‘Gi up your house, ye fair lady,Gi up your house to me,
Or I will burn yoursel therein,
Bot and your babies three.’
10
‘I winnae gie up, you fals Gordon,To nae sik traitor as thee,
Tho you should burn mysel therein,
Bot and my babies three.’
11
‘Set fire to the house,’ quoth fals Gordon,‘Sin better may nae bee;
And I will burn hersel therein,
Bot and her babies three.’
12
‘And ein wae worth ye, Jock my man!I paid ye weil your fee;
Why pow ye out my ground-wa-stane,
Lets in the reek to me?
13
‘And ein wae worth ye, Jock my man!For I paid you weil your hire;
Why pow ye out my ground-wa-stane,
To me lets in the fire?’
14
‘Ye paid me weil my hire, lady,Ye paid me weil my fee,
434
Maun either do or die.’
15
O then bespake her youngest son,Sat on the nurses knee,
‘Dear mother, gie owre your house,’ he says,
‘For the reek it worries me.’
16
‘I winnae gie up my house, my dear,To nae sik traitor as he;
Cum weil, cum wae, my jewels fair,
Ye maun tak share wi me.’
17
O then bespake her dochter dear,She was baith jimp and sma;
‘O row me in a pair o shiets,
And tow me owre the wa.’
18
They rowd her in a pair of shiets,And towd her owre the wa,
But on the point of Edom's speir
She gat a deadly fa.
19
O bonny, bonny was hir mouth,And chirry were her cheiks,
And clear, clear was hir yellow hair,
Whereon the reid bluid dreips!
20
Then wi his speir he turnd hir owr;O gin hir face was wan!
He said, You are the first that eer
I wist alive again.
21
He turned hir owr and owr again;O gin hir skin was whyte!
He said, I might ha spard thy life
To been some mans delyte.
22
‘Busk and boon, my merry men all,For ill dooms I do guess;
I cannae luik in that bonny face,
As it lyes on the grass.’
23
‘Them luiks to freits, my master deir,Then freits will follow them;
Let it neir be said brave Edom o Gordon
Was daunted with a dame.’
24
O then he spied hir ain deir lord,As he came owr the lee;
He saw his castle in a fire,
As far as he could see.
25
‘Put on, put on, my mighty men,As fast as ye can drie!
For he that's hindmost of my men
Sall neir get guid o me.’
26
And some they raid, and some they ran,Fu fast out-owr the plain,
But lang, lang eer he coud get up
They were a' deid and slain.
27
But mony were the mudie menLay gasping on the grien;
For o fifty men that Edom brought out
There were but five ged heme.
28
And mony were the mudie menLay gasping on the grien,
And mony were the fair ladys
Lay lemanless at heme.
29
And round and round the waes he went,Their ashes for to view;
At last into the flames he flew,
And bad the world adieu.
Edom o Gordon
CAPTAIN CAR, OR, EDOM O GORDON—E
1
It fell about the Martinmas time,When the wind blew shrill and cauld,
Said Captain Gordon to his men,
We'll a' draw to som hauld.
2
‘And whatena hauld shall we draw to,To be the nearest hame?’
‘We will draw to the ha o bonny Cargarff;
The laird is na at hame.’
3
The lady sat on her castle-wa,Beheld both dale and down;
And she beheld the fause Gordon
Come halycon to the town.
4
‘Now, Lady Cargarff, gie ower yer house,Gie ower yer house to me;
435
Or in it you shall die.’
5
‘I'll no gie ower my bonny house,To lord nor yet to loun;
I'll no gie ower my bonny house
To the traitors of Auchindown.’
6
Then up and spak her youngest son,Sat at the nourice's knee:
‘O mother dear, gie ower yer house,
For the reek o't smothers me.’
7
‘I would gie a' my goud, my child,Sae would I a' my fee,
For ae blast o the westlan win,
To blaw the reek frae thee.’
8
Then up and spak her eldest heir,He spak wi muckle pride:
‘Now mother dear, keep weel yer house,
And I'll fight by yer side.’
Loudoun Castle
CAPTAIN CAR, OR, EDOM O GORDON—F
[_]
The New Statistical Account of Scotland, V, 846, Parish of Loudoun, by Rev. Norman Macleod: “known among the peasantry from time immemorial.”
1
It fell about the Martinmas time,When the wind blew snell and cauld,
That Adam o Gordon said to his men,
Where will we get a hold?
2
See [ye] not where yonder fair castleStands on yon lily lee?
The laird and I hae a deadly feud,
The lady fain would I see.
3
As she was up on the househead,Behold, on looking down,
She saw Adam o Gordon and his men,
Coming riding to the town.
4
The dinner was not well set down,Nor the grace was scarcely said,
Till Adam o Gordon and his men
About the walls were laid.
5
‘It's fause now fa thee, Jock my man!Thou might a let me be;
Yon man has lifted the pavement-stone,
An let in the low unto me.’
6
‘Seven years I served thee, fair ladie,You gave me meat and fee;
But now I am Adam o Gordon's man,
An maun either do it or die.’
7
‘Come down, come down, my lady Loudoun,Come down thou unto me!
I'll wrap thee on a feather-bed,
Thy warrand I shall be.’
8
‘I'll no come down, I'll no come down,For neither laird no[r] loun;
Nor yet for any bloody butcher
That lives in Altringham town.
9
‘I would give the black,’ she says,‘And so would I the brown,
If that Thomas, my only son,
Could charge to me a gun.’
10
Out then spake the lady Margaret,As she stood on the stair;
The fire was at her goud garters,
The lowe was at her hair.
11
‘I would give the black,’ she says,‘And so would I the brown,
For a drink of yon water,
That runs by Galston Town.’
12
Out then spake fair Annie,She was baith jimp and sma
‘O row me in a pair o sheets,
And tow me down the wa!’
13
‘O hold thy tongue, thou fair Annie,And let thy talkin be;
For thou must stay in this fair castle,
And bear thy death with me.’
14
‘O mother,’ spoke the lord Thomas,As he sat on the nurse's knee,
‘O mother, give up this fair castle,
Or the reek will worrie me.’
436
15
‘I would rather be burnt to ashes sma,And be cast on yon sea-foam,
Before I'd give up this fair castle,
And my lord so far from home.
16
‘My good lord has an army strong,He's now gone oer the sea;
He bad me keep this gay castle,
As long as it would keep me.
17
‘I've four-and-twenty brave milk kye,Gangs on yon lily lee;
I'd give them a' for a blast of wind,
To blaw the reek from me.’
18
O pittie on yon fair castle,That's built with stone and lime!
But far mair pittie on Lady Loudoun,
And all her children nine!
The Burning o Loudon Castle
CAPTAIN CAR, OR, EDOM O GORDON—G
1
It was in and about the Martinmas time,When the wind blew schill and cauld,
That Adam o Gordon said to his men,
Whare will we get a hauld?
2
‘Do ye not see yon bonnie castell,That stands on Loudon lee?
The lord and I hae a deadlie feed,
And his lady fain wuld I see.’
3
Lady Campbell was standing in the close,A preenin o her goun,
Whan Adam o Gordon and his men
Cam riding thro Galston toun.
4
The dinner was na weel set doun,Nor yet the grace weel said,
Till Adam o Gordon and a' his men
Around the wa's war laid.
5
‘Come doun, come down, Ladie Campbell,’ he said,‘Come doun and speak to me;
I'll kep thee in a feather bed,
And thy warraner I will be.’
6
‘I winna come doun and speak to thee,Nor to ony lord nor loun;
Nor yet to thee, thou bloody butcher,
The laird o Auchruglen toun.’
7
‘Come doun, come doun, Ladye Campbell,’ he said,‘Cum doun and speak to me;
I'll kep thee on the point o my sword,
And thy warraner I will be.’
8
‘I winna come doun and speak to thee,Nor to ony lord or loun,
Nor yet to thee, thou bludie butcher,
The laird o Auchruglen toun.’
9
‘Syne gin ye winna come doun,’ he said,‘A’ for to speak to me,
I'll tye the bands around my waist,
And fire thy death sall be.’
10
‘I'd leifer be burnt in ashes sma,And cuist in yon sea-faem,
Or I'd gie up this bonnie castell,
And my gude lord frae hame.
11
‘For my gude lord's in the army strong,He's new gane ower the sea;
He bade me keep this bonnie castell,
As lang's it wuld keep me.’
12
‘Set fire to the house,’ said bauld Gordon,‘Set fire to the house, my men;
We'll gar Lady Campbell come for to rew
As she burns in the flame.’
13
‘O wae be to thee, Carmichael,’ she said,‘And an ill death may ye die!
For ye hae lifted the pavement-stane,
And loot up the lowe to me.
14
‘Seven years ye war about my house,And received both meat and fee:’
‘And now I'm Adam o Gordon's man,
I maun either do or dee.’
15
‘Oh I wad gie the black,’ she said,‘And I wuld gie the brown,
All for ae cup o the cauld water
That rins to Galstoun toun.’
437
16
Syne out and spak the auld dochter,She was baith jimp and sma:
‘O row me in a pair o sheets,
And fling me ower the wa!’
17
They row't her in a pair o sheets,And flang her ower the wa,
And on the point o Gordon's sword
She gat a deadlie fa.
18
He turned her ower, and ower again,And oh but she looked wan!
‘I think I've killed as bonnie a face
As ere the sun shined on.’
19
He turned her ower, and ower again,And oh but she lookt white!
‘I micht hae spared this bonnie face,
To hae been some man's delight!’
20
Syne out and spak Lady Margaret,As she stood on the stair:
‘The fire is at my gowd garters,
And the lowe is at my hair.’
21
Syne out and spak fair Ladie Ann,Frae childbed whare she lay:
‘Gie up this bonnie castell, mother,
And let us win away.’
22
‘Lye still, lye still, my fair Annie,And let your talking be;
For ye maun stay in this bonnie castell
And dree your death wi me.’
23
‘Whatever death I am to dree,I winna die my lane:
I'll tak a bairn in ilka arm
And the third is in my wame.’
24
Syne out and spak her youngest son,A bonnie wee boy was he:
‘Gae doun, gae doun, mother,’ he said,
‘Or the lowe will worry me.’
25
‘I'd leifer be brent in ashes smaAnd cuist in yon sea-faem,
Or I'd gie up this bonnie castell,
And my guid lord frae hame.
26
‘For my gude lord's in the army strong,He's new gane ower the sea;
But gin he eer returns again,
Revenged my death sall be.’
27
Syne out and spak her waitin-maid:Receive this babe frae me,
And save the saikless babie's life,
And I'll neer seek mair fee.
28
‘How can I tak the bairn?’ she said,‘How can I tak't?’ said she,
‘For my hair was ance five quarters lang,
And't is now brent to my bree.’
29
She rowit it in a feather-bed,And flang it ower the wa,
But on the point o Gordon's sword
It gat a deidlie fa.
30
‘I wuld gie Loudon's bonnie castell,And Loudon's bonnie lee,
All gin my youngest son Johnnie
Could charge a gun to me.
31
‘Oh, I wuld gie the black,’ she said,‘And sae wuld I the bay,
Gin young Sir George could take a steed
And quickly ride away.’
32
Syne out and spak her auldest son,As he was gaun to die:
‘Send doun your chamber-maid, mother,
She gaes wi bairn to me.’
33
‘Gin ye were not my eldest son,And heir o a' my land,
I'd tye a sheet around thy neck,
And hang thee with my hand.
34
‘I would gie my twenty gude milk-kye,That feed on Shallow lee,
A' for ae blast o the norland wind,
To blaw the lowe frae me.’
35
Oh was na it a pitie o yon bonnie castell,That was biggit wi stane and lime!
But far mair pity o Lady Ann Campbell,
That was brunt wi her bairns nine.
36
Three o them war married wives,And three o them were bairns,
And three o them were leal maidens,
That neer lay in men's arms.
438
37
And now Lord Loudon he's come hame,And a sorry man was he:
‘He micht hae spared my lady's life,
And wreakit himsell on me!
38
‘But sin we've got thee, bauld Gordon,Wild horses shall thee tear,
For murdering o my ladie bricht,
Besides my children dear.’
CAPTAIN CAR, OR, EDOM O GORDON—H
[_]
“Scotch Ballads, Materials for Border Minstrelsy,” No 75, Abbotsford. Communicated to Scott November 6, 1803, by Bruce Campbell, Sornbeg, Galston, Ayrshire, through David Boyle, Advocate, afterwards Lord Justice General of Scotland.
1
It fell about the Martinmass time,When the wind blew shill and cald,
That Adam McGordon said to his men,
Where will we get a hall?
2
‘There is a hall here near by,Well built with lime and stone;
There is a lady there within
As white as the [OMITTED] bone.’
3
‘Seven year and more this lord and IHas had a deadly feud,
And now, since her good lord's frae hame,
His place to me she'll yield.’
4
She looked oer her castle-wall,And so she looked down,
Approaching the wood-end.
5
‘Steik up, steik up my yett,’ she says,‘And let my draw-bridge fall;
There is meickle treachery
Walking about my wall.’
6
She had not the sentence past,Nor yet the word well said,
When Adam McGordon and his men
About the walls were laid.
7
She looked out at her window,And then she looked down,
And then she saw Jack, her own man,
Lifting the pavement-stane.
8
‘Awa, awa, Jack my man!Seven year I paid you meat and fee,
And now you lift the pavement-stane
To let in the low to me.’
9
‘I yield, I yield, O lady fair,Seven year ye paid me meat and fee;
But now I am Adam McGordon's man,
I must either do or die.’
10
‘If ye be Adam McGordon's man,As I true well ye be,
Prove true unto your own master,
And work your will to me.’
11
‘Come down, come down, my lady Campbell,Come down into my hand;
Ye shall lye all night by my side,
And the morn at my command.’
12
‘I winna come down,’ this lady says,‘For neither laird nor lown,
Nor to no bloody butcher's son,
The Laird of Auchindown.
13
‘I wald give all my kine,’ she says,‘So wald I fifty pound,
That Andrew Watty he were here;
He would charge me my gun.
14
‘He would charge me my gun,And put in bullets three,
That I might shoot that cruel traitor
That works his wills on me.’
15
He shot in, and [s]he shot out,The value of an hour,
Until the hall Craigie North
Was like to be blawn in the air.
16
He fired in, and she fired out,The value of houris three,
Until the hall Craigie North
The reik went to the sea.
17
‘O the frost, and ae the frost,The frost that freezes fell!
I cannot stay within my bower,
The powder it blaws sae bald.’
18
But then spake her oldest son,He was both white and red;
‘O mither dear, yield up your house!
We'll all be burnt to deed.’
19
Out then spake the second son,He was both red and fair;
‘O brother dear, would you yield up your house,
And you your father's heir!’
20
Out then spake the little babe,Stood at the nurse's knee;
‘O mither dear, yield up your house!
The reik will worry me.’
21
Out then speaks the little nurse,The babe upon her knee;
‘O lady, take from me your child!
I'll never crave my fee.’
22
‘Hold thy tongue, thou little nurse,Of thy prating let me bee;
For be it death or be it life,
Thou shall take share with me.
23
‘I wald give a' my sheep,’ she says,‘T[hat] [OMITTED] yon [OMITTED] s[ha],
I had a drink of that wan water
That runs down by my wa.’
Edom of Achendoon
CAPTAIN CAR, OR, EDOM O GORDON—I
1
It fell about the Martimas time,Fan the wind blue loud an calld,
Said Edom of Gordon to his men,
We man dra till a hall.
2
‘An fatten a hall will we dra tell,My merry men a' an me?
We will to the house of Rothes,
An see that gay lady.’
3
The lady louked our castell-wa,Beheld the day ga doun,
An she saa Edun of Gordon,
Fase Edom of Ach[en]doun.
4
‘Gee our yer house, ye gay lady,Gee our yer house to me;
The night ye's be my leall leman,
The morn my lady free.’
5
‘I winnë gee our my bonny house,To leard nor yet to loun,
Nor will I gee our my bonny house
To fase Edom of Achendoun.
6
‘Bat ye gett me Cluny, Gight, or Glack,Or get him young Lesmore,
An I ell gee our my bonny house
To ony of a' the four.’
7
‘Ye's nether gett Cluny, Gight, nor Glack,Nor yet him young Lesmore,
An ye man gee our yer bonny house,
Winten ony of a' the four.’
8
The ladie shot out of a shot-windou,It didne hurt his head,
It only grased his knee
[OMITTED]
9
‘Ye hast, my merry men a',Gather hathorn an fune,
[OMITTED]
To see gin this lady will burn.’
10
‘Wai worth ye, Joke, my man!I paid ye well yer fee,
An ye tane out the qunië-stane,
Laten in the fire to me.
11
‘Wae worth ye, Joke, my man!I paid ye well yer hair,
An ye t[a]en out the qunie-stane,
To me laten in the fire.’
12
‘Ye paid me well my meatt, lady,Ye paid me well my fee,
Bat nou I am Edom of Gordon's man,
Mane eather dee'd or dree.
13
‘Ye paid me well my meatt, lady,Ye paid me well my hire,
But nou I am Edom of Gordon's man,
To ye mane lat the fire.’
14
Out spak her doughter,She was bath jimp an smaa;
‘Ye take me in a pair of shets,
Lat me our the castell-waa.’
15
The pat her in a pair of shets,Lute her oure the castell-waa;
On the point of Edom of Gordon's lance
She got a deadly faa.
16
Cherry, cherry was her cheeks,An bonny was her eyen;
[OMITTED]
[OMITTED]
17
He turned her about,[OMITTED]
‘I might haa spared that bonny face
To ha ben some man's delight.
18
‘Chirry is yer chik,An bonny is yer eayn;
Ye'r the first face I ever saa dead
I wist liveng agen.’
19
Out spak one of his men,As he stad by a stane;
‘Lat it never be sade brave Edom of Gordon
Was dantoned by a dame.’
20
Out spake the bonny barn,It sat on the nurce's knee;
‘Gee our yer house, my mider dear,
The reak it smothers me.’
21
‘I wad gee a' my silks,’ she says,‘That lays in mony a fall,
To haa ye on the head of Mont Ganell,
To gett three gasps of the call.
22
‘I wad gee a' my goud,’ she says,‘Far it lays out an in,
To haa ye on the head of Mont Ganill,
To get three gasps of the wind.’
23
[OMITTED] that gued lord,As he came fraa the sea,
‘I see the house of Rothes in fire,
God safe my gay ladie!’
439
179
ROOKHOPE RYDE
ROOKHOPE RYDE
[_]
The Bishopric Garland, or Durham Minstrel [edited by Joseph Ritson], 2d ed., Newcastle, 1792; here, from the reprint by Joseph Haslewood, 1809, p. 54, in Northern Garlands, London, 1810. “Taken down from the chanting of George Collingood the elder, late of Boltsburn, in the neighborhood of Ryhope,” who died in 1785.
1
Rookhope stands in a pleasant place,If the false thieves wad let it be;
But away they steal our goods apace,
And ever an ill death may they die!
2
And so is the men of Thirlwa'nd Williehaver,And all their companies thereabout,
That is minded to do mischief,
And at their stealing stands not out.
3
But yet we will not slander them all,For there is of them good enough;
It is a sore consumed tree
That on it bears not one fresh bough.
4
Lord God! is not this a pitiful case,That men dare not drive their goods to t'fell,
But limmer thieves drives them away,
That fears neither heaven nor hell?
5
Lord, send us peace into the realm,That every man may live on his own!
I trust to God, if it be his will,
That Weardale men may never be overthrown.
440
6
For great troubles they've had in hand,With borderers pricking hither and thither,
But the greatest fray that eer they had
Was with the ‘men’ of Thirlwa'nd Williehaver.
7
They gatherd together so royally,The stoutest men and the best in gear,
And he that rade not on a horse,
I wat he rade on a weil-fed mear.
8
So in the morning, before they came out,So well, I wot, they broke their fast;
In the [forenoon they came] unto a bye fell,
Where some of them did eat their last.
9
When they had eaten aye and done,They sayd some captains here needs must be:
Then they choosed forth Harry Corbyl,
And ‘Symon Fell,’ and Martin Ridley.
10
Then oer the moss, where as they came,With many a brank and whew,
One of them could to another say,
‘I think this day we are men enew.
11
‘For Weardale men is a journey taen;They are so far out-oer yon fell
That some of them's with the two earls,
And others fast in Barnard castell.
12
‘There we shal get gear enough,For there is nane but women at hame;
The sorrowful fend that they can make
Is loudly cries as they were slain.’
13
Then in at Rookhope-head they came,And there they thought tul a had their prey,
But they were spy'd coming over the Dry Rig,
Soon upon Saint Nicholas' day.
14
Then in at Rookhope-head they came,They ran the forest but a mile;
They gatherd together in four hours
Six hundred sheep within a while.
15
And horses I trow they gatBut either ane or twa,
And they gat them all but ane
That belanged to great Rowley.
16
That Rowley was the first man that did them spy;With that he raised a mighty cry;
The cry it came down Rookhope burn,
And spread through Weardale hasteyly.
17
Then word came to the bailif's house,At the East Gate, where he did dwell;
He was walkd out to the Smale Burns,
Which stands above the Hanging Well.
18
His wife was wae when she heard tell,So well she wist her husband wanted gear;
She gard saddle him his horse in haste,
And neither forgot sword, jack, nor spear.
19
The bailif got wit before his gear cameThat such news was in the land;
He was sore troubled in his heart,
That on no earth that he could stand.
20
His brother was hurt three days before,With limmer thieves that did him prick;
Nineteen bloody wounds lay him upon;
What ferly was't that he lay sick?
21
But yet the bailif shrinked nought,But fast after them he did hye,
And so did all his neighbours near,
That went to bear him company.
22
But when the bailiff was gathered,And all his company,
They were numberd to never a man
But forty [or] under fifty.
23
The thieves was numberd a hundred men,I wat they were not of the worst
That could be choosed out of Thirlwa'nd Williehaver,
[OMITTED]
24
But all that was in Rookhope-head,And all that was i Nuketon Cleugh,
Where Weardale men oertook the thieves,
And there they gave them fighting eneugh.
25
So sore they made them fain to flee,As many was ‘a'’ out of hand,
And, for tul have been at home again,
They would have been in iron bands;
441
26
And for the space of long seven years,As sore they mighten a had their lives;
But there was never one of them
That ever thought to have seen their ‘wives.’
27
About the time the fray began,I trow it lasted but an hour,
Till many a man lay weaponless,
And was sore wounded in that stour.
28
Also before that hour was done,Four of the thieves were slain,
Besides all those that wounded were,
And eleven prisoners there was taen.
29
George Carrick and his brother Edie,Them two, I wot, they were both slain;
Harry Corbyl and Lennie Carrick
Bore them company in their pain.
30
One of our Weardale men was slain,Rowland Emerson his name hight;
I trust to God his soul is well,
Because he ‘fought’ unto the right.
31
But thus they sayd: ‘We'll not departWhile we have one; speed back again!’
And when they came amongst the dead men,
There they found George Carrick slain.
32
And when they found George Carrick slain,I wot it went well near their ‘heart;’
Lord, let them never make a better end
That comes to play them sicken a ‘part!’
33
I trust to God, no more they shal,Except it be one for a great chance;
For God wil punish all those
With a great heavy pestilence.
34
Thir limmer thieves, they have good hearts,They nevir think to be oerthrown;
Three banners against Weardale men they bare,
As if the world had been all their own.
35
Thir Weardale men, they have good hearts,They are as stif as any tree;
For, if they'd every one been slain,
Never a foot back man would flee.
36
And such a storm amongst them fellAs I think you never heard the like,
For he that bears his head so high,
He oft-times falls into the dyke.
37
And now I do entreat you all,As many as are present here,
To pray for [the] singer of this song,
For he sings to make blithe your cheer.
442
180
KING JAMES AND BROWN
Kinge James and Browne
443
1
As I did walke my selfe alone,And by one garden greene,
I heard a yonge prince make great moane,
Which did turne my hart to teene.
2
‘O Lord!’ he then said vntou me,‘Why haue I liued soe long?
For yonder comes a cruell Scott,’
Quoth hee, ‘that will doe me some ronge.’
444
3
And then came traitor Douglas there,He came for to betray his king;
Some they brought bills, and some they brought bowes,
And some the brought other things.
4
The king was aboue in a gallery,With a heauy heart;
Vnto his body was sett about
With swords and speares soe sharpe.
5
‘Be you the lordes of Scotland,’ he said,‘That hither for councell seeke to me?
Or bee yoe traitors to my crowne,
My blood that you wold see?’
6
‘Wee are the lords of Scottland,’ they said,‘Nothing we come to craue of thee;
But wee be traitors to thy crowne,
Thy blood that wee will see.’
7
‘O fye vpon you, you false Scotts!For you neuer all trew wilbe;
My grandfather you haue slaine,
And caused my mother to flee.
8
‘My grandfather you haue slaine,And my owne father you hanged on a tree;
And now,’ quoth he, ‘the like treason
You haue now wrought for me.
9
‘Ffarwell hart, and farwell hand!Farwell all pleasures alsoe!
Farwell th [OMITTED] my head
[OMITTED]
10
[OMITTED][OMITTED]
‘If thou wilt [OMITTED]
And soe goe away with mee.’
11
‘Goe marry thy daughter to whome thou wilt,’Quoth Browne; ‘thou marrys none to me;
For I'le not be a traitor,’ quoth Browne,
‘For all the gold that euer I see.’
12
This Douglas, hearing Browne soe say,Began to flee away full fast;
‘But tarry a while,’ saies lusty Browne,
‘I'le make you to pay before you passe.’
13
He hath taken the Douglas prisoner,And hath brought him before the king;
He kneeled low vpon his knee,
For pardon there prainge.
14
‘How shold I pardon thee,’ saith the king,‘And thou'le remaine a traitor still?
For euer since that I was borne,’
Quoth he, ‘thou hast sought my blood to spill.’
15
‘For if you will grant me my pardon,’ he said,‘Out of this place soe free,
I wilbe sworne before your Grace
A trew subiect to bee.’
16
‘God for-gaue his death,’ said the king,‘When he was nayled vpon a tree;
And as free as euer God forgaue his death,
Douglas,’ quoth he, ‘I'le forgiue thee.
17
‘And all the traitors in Scottland,’Quoth he, ‘both great and small;
As free as euer God forgaue his death,
Soe free I will forgiue them all.’
18
‘I thanke you for your pardon, king,That you haue granted forth soe plaine;
If I liue a twelue month to an end,
You shall not aliue remaine.
19
‘Tomorrow yet, or ere I dine,I meane to doo thee one good turne;
For Edenborrow, that is thine owne,’
Quoth he, ‘I will both h[arry] and [burne].’
20
Thus Douglas hied towards Edenborrow,And many of his men were gone beffore,
And after him on euery side,
With him there went some twenty score.
21
But when that they did see him come,They cryed lowd with voices, saying,
‘Yonder comes a false traitor,
That wold haue slaine our king.’
22
They chaynd vp the gates of Edenborrow,And there the made them wonderous fast,
And there Browne sett on Douglas againe,
And quicklye did him ouer cast.
23
But worde came backe againe to the king,With all the speed that euer might bee,
That traitor Douglas there was taken,
And his body was there to see.
445
24
‘Bring me his taker,’ quoth the king,‘Come, quickly bring him vnto me!
I'le giue a thousand pound a yeere,
What man soeuer he bee.’
25
But then they called lusty Browne;Sayes, ‘Browne, come thou hither to mee.
How oft hast thou foughten for my sake,
And alwayes woone the victory?’
26
‘The first time that I fought for you,It was in Edenborrow, king;
If there I had not stoutly stood,
My leege, you neuer had beene king.
27
‘The second time I fought for you,Here I will tell you in this place;
I killd the sheriffs sonne of Carlile,’
Quoth he, ‘that wold haue slaine your Grace.
28
‘The third time that I fought for you,Here for to let you vnderstand,
I slew the Bishopp of St Andrew[s],’
Quoth he, ‘with a possat in [his hand].’
29
[OMITTED] quoth hee,‘That euer my manhood I did trye;
I'le make a vow for Englands sake
That I will neuer battell flee.’
30
‘God amercy, Browne,’ then said the king,‘And God amercy heartilye!
Before I made thee but a knight,
But now an earle I will make thee.
31
‘God saue the queene of England,’ he said,‘For her blood is verry neshe;
As neere vnto her I am
As a colloppe shorne from the fleshe.
32
‘If I be false to England,’ he said,‘Either in earnest or in iest,
I might be likened to a bird,’
Quoth he, ‘that did defile it nest.’
447
181
THE BONNY EARL OF MURRAY
448
The Bonny Earl of Murray
THE BONNY EARL OF MURRAY—A
1
Ye Highlands, and ye Lawlands,Oh where have you been?
They have slain the Earl of Murray,
And they layd him on the green.
2
‘Now wae be to thee, Huntly!And wherefore did you sae?
I bade you bring him wi you,
But forbade you him to slay.’
3
He was a braw gallant,And he rid at the ring;
And the bonny Earl of Murray,
Oh he might have been a king!
4
He was a braw gallant,And he playd at the ba;
And the bonny Earl of Murray
Was the flower amang them a'.
5
He was a braw gallant,And he playd at the glove;
And the bonny Earl of Murray,
Oh he was the Queen's love!
6
Oh lang will his ladyLook oer the castle Down,
Eer she see the Earl of Murray
Come sounding thro the town!
Eer she, etc.
The Bonnie Earl o Murray
THE BONNY EARL OF MURRAY—B
1
‘Open the gates,and let him come in;
He is my brother Huntly,
he'll do him nae harm.’
2
The gates they were opent,they let him come in,
But fause traitor Huntly,
he did him great harm.
3
He's ben and ben,and ben to his bed,
And with a sharp rapier
he stabbed him dead.
4
The lady came down the stair,wringing her hands:
‘He has slain the Earl o Murray,
the flower o Scotland.’
5
But Huntly lap on his horse,rade to the king:
‘Ye're welcome hame, Huntly,
and whare hae ye been?
449
6
‘Whare hae ye been?and how hae ye sped?’
‘I've killed the Earl o Murray,
dead in his bed.’
7
‘Foul fa you, Huntly!and why did ye so?
You might have taen the Earl o Murray,
and saved his life too.’
8
‘Her bread it's to bake,her yill is to brew;
My sister's a widow,
and sair do I rue.
9
‘Her corn grows ripe,her meadows grow green,
But in bonny Dinnibristle
I darena be seen.’
182
THE LAIRD O LOGIE
452
The Laird of Logie
THE LAIRD O LOGIE—A
[_]
“Scotch Ballads, Materials for Border Minstrelsy,” No 3 a, Abbotsford. Sent Scott September 11, 1802, by William Laidlaw; received by him from Mr Bartram of Biggar.
1
I will sing, if ye will harken,An ye wad listen unto me;
I'll tell ye of a merry passage
Of the wanton laird of Young Logie.
2
Young Logie's laid in Edinborough chapel,Carmichaell's keeper of the key;
I heard a may lamenting sair,
All for the laird of Young Logie.
3
‘Lament, lament na, May Margret,And o your weeping let me be;
For ye maun to the king your sell,
And ask the life of Young Logie.’
4
May Margaret has kilted her green cleeding,And she's currld back her yellow hair,
And she's away to the king hersell,
And adieu to Scotland for ever mair!
5
When she came before the king,She fell low down on her knee:
‘It's what's your will wi me, May Margret,
And what makes all this courtesey?’
‘Naething, naething, my sovreign liege,
But grant me the life of Young Logie.’
6
‘O no, O no, May Margret,No, in sooth it maun na be;
For the morn, or I taste meat or drink,
Hee hanged shall Young Logie be.’
7
She has stolen the king's reeding-comb,But an the queen her wedding-knife,
And she has sent it to Carmichaell,
To cause Young Logie come by life.
8
She sent him a purse of the red gold,Another of the white money,
And sent him a pistol into each hand,
And bade him shoot when he got fra.
9
When he came to the Tolbooth stair,There he loot his volley flee,
Which made the king in his chamber start,
Even in the chamber where he lay.
10
‘Gae out, gae out, my merrie men,And gar Carmichael come speake wi me,
For I'll lay my life the pledge of that,
That yon's the volley of Young Logie.’
11
When Carmichael came before the king,He fell low down on his knee;
The very first word that the king spake,
‘How dois the laird o Young Logie?’
12
Carmichael turnd him round about,A wait the salt tear blint his eye:
‘There came a tacken frae the king
Has tean the laird awa frae me.’
13
‘Hast thou playd me that, Carmichael?Hast thou playd me that?’ quo he;
‘The morn the Justice Court's to stand,
And Logie's place ye maun supply.’
14
Carmichal's awa to May Margr[e]t's bower,Een as fast as he may dree:
‘It's if Young Logie be within,
Tell him to come speak to me.’
15
May Margret's turnd her round about,A wait a loud laughter gae she:
‘The egg is cheeped and the bird is flown,
And seek ye the laird of Young Logie.’
16
The one is sheppd at the pier o Leith,The other at the Queen's Ferry,
And she has gotten a father to her bairn,
The wanton laird of Young [Logie].
453
The young Laird of Ochiltrie
THE LAIRD O LOGIE—B
1
O listen, gude peopell, to my tale,Listen to what I tel to thee;
The king has taiken a poor prisoner,
The wanton laird of Ochiltrie.
2
When news came to our guidly queen,Sche sicht, and said right mournfullie,
‘O what will cum of Lady Margret!
Wha beirs sick luve to Ochiltrie.’
3
Lady Margret tore hir yellow hairWhen as the queen tald hir the saim:
‘I wis that I had neir bin born,
Nor neir had knawn Ochiltrie's naim!’
4
‘Fie, na!’ quoth the queen, ‘that maunna be;Fie, na! that maunna be;
I'll fynd ye out a better way
To saif the lyfe of Ochiltrie.’
5
The queen sche trippit up the stair,And lowlie knielt upon hir knie:
‘The first boon which I cum to craive
Is the life of gentel Ochiltrie.’
6
‘O iff you had askd me castels or towirs,I wad hae gin thaim, twa or thrie;
Bot a' the monie in fair Scotland
Winna buy the lyfe of Ochiltrie.’
7
The queen sche trippit down the stair,And down she gade richt mournfullie:
‘It's a' the monie in fair Scotland
Winna buy the lyfe of Ochiltrie!’
8
Lady Margaret tore her yellow hairWhen as the queen tald hir the saim:
‘I'll tak a knife and end my lyfe,
And be in the grave as soon as him!’
9
‘Ah, na! Fie, na!’ quoth the queen,‘Fie, na! Fie, na! this maunna be;
I'll set ye on a better way
To loose and set Ochiltrie frie.’
10
The queen sche slippit up the stair,And sche gaid up richt privatlie,
And sche has stoun the prison-keys,
And gane and set Ochiltrie frie.
11
And sche's gien him a purse of gowd,And another of whyt monie;
Sche's gien him twa pistoles by's syde,
Saying to him, Shute, when ye win frie.
12
And when he cam to the queen's window,Whaten a joyfou shute gae he!
‘Peace be to our royal queen,
And peace be in hir companie!’
13
‘O whaten a voyce is that?’ quoth the king,‘Whaten a voyce is that?’ quoth he;
‘Whaten a voyce is that?’ quoth the king;
‘I think it's the voyce of Ochiltrie.
14
‘Call to me a' my gaolours,Call thaim by thirtie and by thrie;
Whairfoir the morn, at twelve a clock,
It's hangit schall they ilk ane be.’
15
‘O didna ye send your keyis to us?Ye sent thaim be thirtie and be thrie,
And wi thaim sent a strait command
To set at lairge young Ochiltrie.’
454
16
‘Ah, na! Fie, na!’ quoth the queen,‘Fie, my dear luve, this maunna be!
And iff ye're gawn to hang thaim a',
Indeed ye maun begin wi me.’
17
The tane was schippit at the pier of Leith,The ither at the Queen's Ferrie,
And now the lady has gotten hir luve,
The winsom laird of Ochiltrie.
The Laird of Logie
THE LAIRD O LOGIE—C
1
The young laird of Logie is to prison cast;Carmichael's the keeper of the key;
Lady Margaret, the queen's cousin, is very sick,
And it's all for love of Young Logie.
2
She's into the queen's chamber gone,She has kneeld low down on her knee;
Says she, You must go to the king yourself;
It's all for a pardon to Young Logie.
3
The queen is unto the king's chamber gone,She has kneeld low down on her knee:
‘O what is the matter, my gracious queen?
And what means all this courtesie?
4
‘Have I not made thee queen of fair Scotland?The queen of England I trow thou be;
Have not I made thee my wedded wife?
Then what needs all this courtesie?’
5
‘You have made me queen of [fair] Scotland,The queen of England I surely be;
Since you have made me your wedded wife,
Will you grant a pardon for Young Logie?’
6
The king he turned him right round about,I think an angry man was he:
‘The morrow, before it is twelve o'clock,
O hangd shall the laird of Logie be.’
7
The queen she's into her chamber gone,Amongst her maries, so frank and free;
‘You may weep, you may weep, Margaret,’ she says,
‘For hanged must the laird of Logie be.’
8
She has torn her silken scarf and hood,And so has she her yellow hair:
‘Now fare you well, both king and queen,
And adieu to Scotland for ever mair!’
9
She has put off her goun of silk,And so has she her gay clothing:
‘Go fetch me a knife, and I'll kill myself,
Since the laird of Logie is not mine.’
10
Then out bespoke our gracious queen,And she spoke words most tenderlie;
‘Now hold your hand, Lady Margaret,’ she said,
‘And I'll try to set Young Logie free.’
11
She's up into the king's chamber gone,And among his nobles so free;
‘Hold away, hold away!’ says our gracious king,
‘No more of your pardons for Young Logie.
12
‘Had you but askd me for houses and land,I would have given you castles three;
Or anything else shall be at your command,
But only a pardon for Young Logie.’
13
‘Hold your hand now, my sovereign liege,And of your anger let it be;
For the innocent blood of Lady Margret
It will rest on the head of thee and me.’
14
The king and queen are gone to their bed,But as he was sleeping so quietly,
She has stole the keys from below his head,
And has sent to set Young Logie free.
15
Young Logie he's on horseback got,Of chains and fetters he's got free;
As he passd by the king's window,
There he has fired vollies three.
16
The king he awakend out of his sleep,Out of his bed came hastilie;
Says, I'll lay all my lands and rents
That yonder's the laird of Logie free.’
17
The king has sent to the prison strong,He has calld for his keepers three;
Says, How does all your prisoners?
And how does the young laird of Logie?
455
18
‘Your Majesty sent me your wedding-ring,With your high command to set him free;’
‘Then tomorrow, before that I eat or drink,
I surely will hang you keepers three.’
19
Then out bespoke our gracious queen,And she spoke words most tenderlie;
‘If ever you begin to hang a man for this,
Your Majesty must begin with me.’
20
The one took shipping at [the pier of] Leith,The other at the Queen's Ferrie;
Lady Margaret has gotten the man she loves,
I mean the young laird of Logie.
Young Logie,
THE LAIRD O LOGIE—D
1
Pretty is the story I hae to tell,Pretty is the praisin o itsel,
An pretty is the prisner oor king's tane,
The rantin young laird o Logie.
2
Has he brunt? or has he slain?Or has he done any injurie?
Oh no, no, he's done nothing at all,
But stown a kiss frae the queen's marie.
3
Ladie Margaret cam doon the stair,Wringin her hands an tearin her hair;
Cryin, Oh, that ever I to Scotland cam,
Aye to see Young Logie dee!
4
‘Had your tongue noo, Lady Margaret,An a' your weepin lat a bee!
For I'll gae to the king my sell,
An plead for life to Young Logie.’
5
‘First whan I to Scotland cam,You promised to gie me askens three;
The first then o these askens is
Life for the young laird o Logie.’
6
‘If you had asked house or lands,They suld hae been at your command;
But the morn, ere I taste meat or drink,
High hanged sall Young Logie be.’
7
Lady Margaret cam doon the stair,Wringin her hands an tearin her hair;
Cryin, Oh, that ever I to Scotland cam,
A' to see Young Logie dee!
8
‘Hand your tongue noo, Lady Margaret,An a' your weepin lat a bee!
For I'll counterfiet the king's hand-write,
An steal frae him his richt hand gloe,
An send them to Pitcairn's wa's,
A' to lat Young Logie free.’
9
She counterfieted the king's hand-write,An stole frae him his richt hand gloe,
An sent them to Pitcairn's wa's,
A' to let Young Logie free.
10
The king luikit owre his castle-wa,Was luikin to see what he cald see:
‘My life to wad an my land to pawn,
Yonder comes the young laird o Logie!’
11
‘Pardon, oh pardon! my lord the king,Aye I pray you pardon me;
For I counterfieted your hand-write,
An stole frae you your richt hand gloe,
An sent them to Pitcairn's wa's,
A' to set Young Logie free.’
12
‘If this had been done by laird or lord,Or by baron of high degree,
I'se mak it sure, upon my word,
His life suld hae gane for Young Logie.
13
‘But since it is my gracious queen,A hearty pardon we will gie,
An for her sake we'll free the loon,
The rantin young laird o Logie.’
The Laird o Logie; or, May Margaret
THE LAIRD O LOGIE—E
May Margaret sits in the queen's bouir,Knicking her fingers ane be ane,
Cursing the day that she ere was born,
Or that she ere heard o Logie's name.
456
183
WILLIE MACINTOSH
457
Burning of Auchindown
WILLIE MACINTOSH—A
[_]
a. The Thistle of Scotland, p. 106, 1823. b. Whitelaw, The Book of Scottish Ballads, p. 248; from an Aberdeen newspaper of about 1815.
1
‘Turn, Willie Macintosh,Turn, I bid you;
Gin ye burn Auchindown,
Huntly will head you.’
2
‘Head me or hang me,That canna fley me;
I'll burn Auchendown
Ere the life lea me.’
3
Coming down Deeside,In a clear morning,
Auchindown was in flame,
Ere the cock-crawing.
4
But coming oer Cairn Croom,And looking down, man,
I saw Willie Macintosh
Burn Auchindown, man.
5
‘Bonny Willie Macintosh,Whare left ye your men?’
‘I left them in the Stapler,
But they'll never come hame.’
6
‘Bonny Willie Macintosh,Whare now is your men?’
‘I left them in the Stapler,
Sleeping in their sheen.’
Willie Mackintosh
WILLIE MACINTOSH—B
[_]
Finlay's Scottish Ballads, II, 89, 1808, as recollected by a lady and communicated by Walter Scott.
1
As I came in by Fiddich-side,In a May morning,
I met Willie Mackintosh,
An hour before the dawning.
2
‘Turn again, turn again,Turn again, I bid ye;
If ye burn Auchindown,
Huntly he will head ye.’
3
‘Head me, hang me,That sall never fear me;
I'll burn Auchindown
Before the life leaves me.’
4
As I came in by Auchindown,In a May morning,
Auchindown was in a bleeze,
An hour before the dawning.
5
Crawing, crawing,For my crowse crawing,
I lost the best feather i my wing
For my crowse crawing.
458
184
THE LADS OF WAMPHRAY
THE LADS OF WAMPHRAY
459
1
Twixt the Girthhead and Langwood-endLivd the Galiard and Galiard's men.
2
It is the lads of Lethenha,The greatest rogues among them a'.
3
It is the lads of Leverhay,That drove the Crichtons' gier away.
4
It is the lads o the Kirkhill,The gay Galiard and Will o Kirkhill,
5
But and the lads o Stefenbiggin,They broke the house in at the riggin.
6
The lads o Fingland and Hellbackhill,They were neer for good, but aye for ill.
7
Twixt the Staywood Bass and Langside Hill,They stelld the broked cow and branded bull.
8
It is the lads o the Girthhead,The diel's in them for pride and greed.
9
[OMITTED][OMITTED]
10
The Galiard is to the stable gane;Instead of the Dun, the Blind he's taen.
11
‘Come out now, Simmy o the Side,Come out and see a Johnston ride!
12
‘Here's the boniest horse in a' Nithside,And a gentle Johnston aboon his hide.’
13
Simmy Crichton's mounted then,And Crichtons has raised mony a ane.
14
The Galiard thought his horse had been fleet,But they did outstrip him quite out o sight.
15
As soon as the Galiard the Crichton he saw,Beyond the saugh-bush he did draw.
16
The Crichtons there the Galiard hae taen,And nane wi him but Willy alane.
17
‘O Simmy, Simmy, now let me gang,And I vow I'll neer do a Crichton wrang!
18
‘O Simmy, Simmy, now let me be,And a peck o goud I'll gie to thee!
19
‘O Simmy, Simmy, let me gang,And my wife shall heap it wi her hand!’
20
But the Crichtons wadna let Willy bee,But they hanged him high upon a tree.
21
O think then Will he was right wae,When he saw his uncle guided sae.
22
‘But if ever I live Wamphray to see,My uncle's death revenged shall be!’
460
23
Back to Wamphray Willy's gane,And riders has raised mony a ane.
24
Saying, My lads, if ye'll be true,Ye's a' be clad in the noble blue.
25
Back to Nidsdale they are gane,And away the Crichtons' nout they hae taen.
26
As they came out at the Wallpath-head,The Crichtons bad them light and lead.
27
And when they came to the Biddess-burn,The Crichtons bad them stand and turn.
28
And when they came to the Biddess-strand,The Crichtons they were hard at hand.
29
But when they cam to the Biddess-law,The Johnstons bad them stand and draw.
30
Out then spake then Willy Kirkhill:‘Of fighting, lads, ye's hae your fill.’
31
Then off his horse Willy he lap,And a burnishd brand in his hand he took.
32
And through the Crichtons Willy he ran,And dang them down both horse and man.
33
O but these lads were wondrous rude,When the Biddess-burn ran three days blood!
34
‘I think, my lads, we've done a noble deed;We have revengd the Galiard's blood.
35
‘For every finger o the Galiard's hand,I vow this day I've killed a man.’
36
And hame for Wamphray they are gane,And away the Crichtons' nout they've taen.
37
‘Sin we've done na hurt, nor we'll take na wrang,But back to Wamphray we will gang.’
38
As they came in at Evanhead,At Reaklaw-holm they spred abread.
39
‘Drive on, my lads, it will be late;We'll have a pint at Wamphray Gate.
40
‘For where eer I gang, or eer I ride,The lads o Wamphr[a]y's on my side.
41
‘For of a' the lads that I do ken,The lads o Wamphr[a]y's king o men.’
461
185
DICK O THE COW
DICK O THE COW
[_]
a. ‘An excelent old song cald Dick of the Cow.’ Percy Papers, 1775. b. Caw's Poetical Museum, p. 22, 1784. c. Campbell, Albyn's Anthology, II, 31, 1818.
464
1
Now Liddisdale has lain long in,Fa la
There is no rideing there a ta;
Fa la
Their horse is growing so lidder and fatt
That are lazie in the sta.
Fa la la didle
2
Then Johnë Armstrang to Willie can say,Billie, a rideing then will we;
England and us has been long at a feed;
Perhaps we may hitt of some bootie.
3
Then they'r comd on to Hutton Hall,They rade that proper place about;
But the laird he was the wiser man,
For he had left nae gear without.
4
Then he had left nae gear to steal,Except six sheep upon a lee;
Says Johnie, I'de rather in England die
Before their six sheep good to Liddisdale with me.
5
‘But how cald they the man we last with mett,Billie, as we came over the know?’
‘That same he is an innocent fool,
And some men calls him Dick o the Cow.’
6
‘That fool has three as good kyne of his ownAs is in a' Cumberland, billie,’ quoth he:
‘Betide my life, betide my death,
These three kyne shal go to Liddisdaile with me.’
7
Then they're comd on to the poor fool's house,And they have broken his wals so wide;
They have loosd out Dick o the Cow's kyne three,
And tane three coerlets off his wife's bed.
8
Then on the morn, when the day grew light,The shouts and crys rose loud and high:
‘Hold thy tongue, my wife,’ he says,
‘And of thy crying let me bee.
9
‘Hald thy tongue, my wife,’ he says,‘And of thy crying let me bee,
And ay that where thou wants a kow,
Good sooth that I shal bring the three.’
10
Then Dick's comd on to lord and master,And I wate a drerie fool [was] he:
‘Hald thy tongue, my fool,’ he says,
‘For I may not stand to jest with thee.’
11
‘Shame speed a your jesting, my lord,’ quo Dickie,‘For nae such jesting grees with me;
Liddesdaile has been in my house this last night,
And they have tane my three kyne from me.
12
‘But I may nae langer in Cumberland dwel,To be your poor fool and your leel,
Unless ye give me leave, my lord,
To go to Liddisdale and steal.’
13
‘To give thee leave, my fool,’ he says,‘Thou speaks against mine honour and me;
Unless thou give me thy trouth and thy right hand
Thou'l steal frae nane but them that sta from thee.’
14
‘There is my trouth and my right hand;My head shal hing on Hairibie,
I'le never crose Carlele sands again,
If I steal frae a man but them that sta frae me.’
15
Dickie has tane leave at lord and master,And I wate a merrie fool was he;
He has bought a bridle and a pair of new spurs,
And has packed them up in his breek-thigh.
16
Then Dickie's come on for Puddinburn,Even as fast as he may drie;
Dickie's come on for Puddinburn,
Where there was thirty Armstrongs and three.
17
‘What's this comd on me!’ quo Dickë,‘What meakle wae's this happend on me,’ quo he,
‘Where here is but ae innocent fool,
And there is thirty Armstrongs and three!’
18
Yet he's comd up to the hall among them all;So wel he became his courtisie:
‘Well may ye be, my good Laird's Jock!
But the deil bless all your companie.
19
‘I'm come to plain of your man Fair Johnie Armstrong,And syne his billie Willie,’ quo he;
465
And they have tane my three ky frae me.’
20
Quo Johnie Armstrong, We'll him hang;‘Nay,’ thain quo Willie, ‘we'll him slae;’
But up bespake another young man, We'le nit him in a four-nooked sheet,
Give him his burden of batts, and lett him gae.
21
Then up bespake the good Laird's Jock,The best falla in the companie:
Fitt thy way down a little while, Dickë,
And a peice of thine own cow's hough I'l give to thee.
22
But Dicki's heart it grew so greatThat never a bitt of it he dought to eat;
But Dickie was warr of ane auld peat-house,
Where there al the night he thought for to sleep.
23
Then Dickie was warr of that auld peat-house,Where there al the night he thought for to ly;
And a' the prayers the poor fool prayd was,
‘I wish I had a mense for my own three kye!’
24
Then it was the use of Puddinburn,And the house of Mangertoun, all haile!
These that came not at the first call
They gott no more meat till the next meall.
25
The lads, that hungry and aevery was,Above the door-head they flang the key;
Dickie took good notice to that;
Says, There's a bootie younder for me.
26
Then Dickie's gane into the stable,Where there stood thirty horse and three;
He has ty'd them a' with St Mary knot,
All these horse but barely three.
27
He has ty'd them a' with St Mary knott,All these horse but barely three;
He has loupen on one, taken another in his hand,
And out at the door and gane is Dickie.
28
Then on the morn, when the day grew light,The shouts and cryes rose loud and high;
‘What's that theife?’ quo the good Laird's Jock;
‘Tel me the truth and the verity.
29
‘What's that theife?’ quo the good Laird's Jock;‘See unto me ye do not lie:’
‘Dick o the Cow has been in the stable this last night,
And has my brother's horse and mine frae me.’
30
‘Ye wad never be teld it,’ quo the Laird's Jock;‘Have ye not found my tales fu leel?
Ye wade never out of England bide,
Till crooked and blind and a' wad steal.’
31
‘But will thou lend me thy bay?’ Fair Johnë Armstrong can say,‘There's nae mae horse loose in the stable but he;
And I'le either bring ye Dick o the Kow again,
Or the day is come that he must die.’
32
‘To lend thee my bay,’ the Laird's Jock can say,‘He's both worth gold and good monie;
Dick o the Kow has away twa horse,
I wish no thou should no make him three.’
33
He has tane the Laird's jack on his back,The twa-handed sword that hang lieugh by his thigh;
He has tane the steel cap on his head,
And on is he to follow Dickie.
34
Then Dickie was not a mile off the town,I wate a mile but barely three,
Till John Armstrang has oertane Dick o the Kow,
Hand for hand on Cannobei lee.
35
‘Abide th[e], bide now, Dickie than,The day is come that thow must die;’
Dickie looked oer his left shoulder;
‘Johnie, has thow any mo in thy company?
36
‘There is a preacher in owr chapell,And a' the lee-lang day teaches he;
When day is gane, and night is come,
There's never a word I mark but three.
466
37
‘The first and second's Faith and Conscience;The third is, Johnie, Take head of thee;
But what faith and conscience had thow, traitor,
When thou took my three kye frae me?
38
‘And when thou had tane my three kye,Thou thought in thy heart thou was no wel sped;
But thou sent thi billie Willie oer the know,
And he took three coerlets of my wife's bed.’
39
Then Johne lett a spear fa leaugh by his thigh,Thought well to run the innocent through;
But the powers above was more than his,
He ran but the poor fool's jerkin through.
40
Together they ran or ever they blan —This was Dickie, the fool, and hee —
Dickie could not win to him with the blade of the sword,
But he feld [him] with the plummet under the eye.
41
Now Dickie has [feld] Fair Johnë Armstrong,The prettiest man in the south countrey;
‘Gramercie,’ then can Dickie say,
‘I had twa horse, thou has made me three.’
42
He has tane the laird's jack off his back,The twa-handed sword that hang leiugh by his thigh;
He has tane the steel cape off his head:
‘Johnie, I'le tel my master I met with thee.’
43
When Johnë wakend out of his dream,I wate a dreiry man was he:
‘Is thou gane now, Dickie, than?
The shame gae in thy company!
44
‘Is thou gane now, Dickie, than?The shame go in thy companie!
For if I should live this hundred year,
I shal never fight with a fool after thee.’
45
Then Dickie comed home to lord and master,Even as fast as he may driee:
‘Now Dickie, I shal neither eat meat nor drink
Till high hanged that thou shall be!’
46
‘The shame speed the liars, my lord!’ quo Dickie,‘That was no the promise ye made to me;
For I'd never gane to Liddesdale to steal
Till that I sought my leave at thee.’
47
‘But what gart thow steal the Laird's-Jock's horse?And, limmer, what gart thou steal him?’ quo he;
‘For lang might thow in Cumberland dwelt
Or the Laird's Jock had stoln ought frae thee.’
48
‘Indeed I wate ye leed, my lord,And even so loud as I hear ye lie;
I wan him frae his man, Fair Johnë Armstrong,
Hand for hand on Cannobie lee.
49
‘There's the jack was on his back,The twa-handed sword that hung lewgh by his thigh;
There's the steel cap was on his head;
I have a' these takens to lett you see.’
50
‘If that be true thou to me tels —I trow thou dare not tel a lie —
I'le give thee twenty pound for the good horse,
Wel teld in thy cloke-lap shall be.
51
‘And I'le give thee one of my best milkkye,To maintain thy wife and children three;
[And that may be as good, I think,
As ony twa o thine might be.’]
52
‘The shame speed the liars, my lord!’ quo Dicke,‘Trow ye ay to make a fool of me?
I'le either have thirty pound for the good horse,
Or els he's gae to Mattan fair wi me:’
53
Then he has given him thirty pound for the good horse,All in gold and good monie;
He has given him one of his best milk-kye,
To maintain his wife and children three.
54
Then Dickie's come down through Carlile town,Even as fast as he may drie:
The first of men that he with mett
Was my lord's brother, Bailife Glazenberrie.
467
55
‘Well may ye be, my good Ralph Scrupe!’‘Welcome, my brother's fool!’ quo he;
‘Where did thou gett Fair Johnie Armstrong's horse?’
‘Where did I get him but steall him,’ quo he.
56
‘But will thou sell me Fair Johnie Armstrong['s] horse?And, billie, will thou sel him to me?’ quo he:
‘Ay, and tel me the monie on my cloke-lap,
For there's not one fathing I'le trust thee.’
57
‘I'le give thee fifteen pound for the good horse,Wel teld on thy cloke-lap shal be;
And I'le give [thee] one of my best milk-kye,
To maintain thy wife and thy children three.’
58
‘The shame speed the liars, my lord!’ quo Dickë,‘Trow ye ay to make a fool of me?’ quo he:
‘I'le either have thirty pound for the good horse,
Or else he's to Mattan Fair with me.’
59
He has given him thirty pound for the good horse,All in gold and good monie;
He has given him one of his best milk-kye,
To maintain his wife and children three.
60
Then Dickie lap a loup on high,And I wate a loud laughter leugh he:
‘I wish the neck of the third horse were browken,
For I have a better of my own, and onie better can be.’
61
Then Dickie comd hame to his wife again;Judge ye how the poor fool he sped;
He has given her three score of English pounds
For the three auld coerlets was tane of her bed.
62
‘Hae, take thee there twa as good kye,I trow, as al thy three might be;
And yet here is a white-footed naigg;
I think he'le carry booth thee and me.
63
‘But I may no langer in Cumberland dwell;The Armstrongs the'le hang me high:’
But Dickie has tane leave at lord and master,
And Burgh under Stanemuir there dwels Dickie.
469
186
KINMONT WILLIE
KINMONT WILLIE
472
1
O have ye na heard o the fause Sakelde?O have ye na heard o the keen Lord Scroop?
How they hae taen bauld Kinmont Willie,
On Hairibee to hang him up?
2
Had Willie had but twenty men,But twenty men as stout as he,
Fause Sakelde had never the Kinmont taen,
Wi eight score in his companie.
3
They band his legs beneath the steed,They tied his hands behind his back;
They guarded him, fivesome on each side,
And they brought him ower the Liddelrack.
4
They led him thro the Liddel-rack,And also thro the Carlisle sands;
They brought him to Carlisle castell,
To be at my Lord Scroope's commands.
5
‘My hands are tied, but my tongue is free,And whae will dare this deed avow?
Or answer by the border law?
Or answer to the bauld Buccleuch?’
6
‘Now haud thy tongue, thou rank reiver!There's never a Scot shall set ye free;
Before ye cross my castle-yate,
I trow ye shall take farewell o me.’
7
‘Fear na ye that, my lord,’ quo Willie;‘By the faith o my bodie, Lord Scroop,’ he said,
‘I never yet lodged in a hostelrie
But I paid my lawing before I gaed.’
8
Now word is gane to the bauld Keeper,In Branksome Ha where that he lay,
That Lord Scroope has taen the Kinmont Willie,
Between the hours of night and day.
9
He has taen the table wi his hand,He garrd the red wine spring on hie;
‘Now Christ's curse on my head,’ he said,
‘But avenged of Lord Scroop I'll be!
10
‘O is my basnet a widow's curch?Or my lance a wand of the willow-tree?
Or my arm a ladye's lilye hand?
That an English lord should lightly me.
473
11
‘And have they taen him Kinmont Willie,Against the truce of Border tide,
And forgotten that the bauld Bacleuch
Is keeper here on the Scottish side?
12
‘And have they een taen him Kinmont Willie,Withouten either dread or fear,
And forgotten that the bauld Bacleuch
Can back a steed, or shake a spear?
13
‘O were there war between the lands,As well I wot that there is none,
I would slight Carlisle castell high,
Tho it were builded of marble-stone.
14
‘I would set that castell in a low,And sloken it with English blood;
There's nevir a man in Cumberland
Should ken where Carlisle castell stood.
15
‘But since nae war's between the lands,And there is peace, and peace should be,
I'll neither harm English lad or lass,
And yet the Kinmont freed shall be!’
16
He has calld him forty marchmen bauld,I trow they were of his ain name,
Except Sir Gilbert Elliot, calld
The Laird of Stobs, I mean the same.
17
He has calld him forty marchmen bauld,Were kinsmen to the bauld Buccleuch,
With spur on heel, and splent on spauld,
And gleuves of green, and feathers blue.
18
There were five and five before them a',Wi hunting-horns and bugles bright;
And five and five came wi Buccleuch,
Like Warden's men, arrayed for fight.
19
And five and five like a mason-gang,That carried the ladders lang and hie;
And five and five like broken men;
And so they reached the Woodhouselee.
20
And as we crossd the Bateable Land,When to the English side we held,
The first o men that we met wi,
Whae sould it be but fause Sakelde!
21
‘Where be ye gaun, ye hunters keen?’Quo fause Sakelde; ‘come tell to me!’
‘We go to hunt an English stag,
Has trespassd on the Scots countrie.’
22
‘Where be ye gaun, ye marshal-men?’Quo fause Sakelde; ‘come tell me true!’
‘We go to catch a rank reiver,
Has broken faith wi the bauld Buccleuch.’
23
‘Where are ye gaun, ye mason-lads,Wi a' your ladders lang and hie?’
‘We gang to herry a corbie's nest,
That wons not far frae Woodhouselee.’
24
‘Where be ye gaun, ye broken men?’Quo fause Sakelde; ‘come tell to me!’
Now Dickie of Dryhope led that band,
And the nevir a word o lear had he.
25
‘Why trespass ye on the English side?Row-footed outlaws, stand!’ quo he;
The neer a word had Dickie to say,
Sae he thrust the lance thro his fause bodie.
26
Then on we held for Carlisle toun,And at Staneshaw-bank the Eden we crossd;
The water was great, and meikle of spait,
But the nevir a horse nor man we lost.
27
And when we reachd the Staneshaw-bank,The wind was rising loud and hie;
And there the laird garrd leave our steeds,
For fear that they should stamp and nie.
28
And when we left the Staneshaw-bank,The wind began full loud to blaw;
But't was wind and weet, and fire and sleet,
When we came beneath the castel-wa.
29
We crept on knees, and held our breath,Till we placed the ladders against the wa;
And sae ready was Buccleuch himsell
To mount the first before us a'.
30
He has taen the watchman by the throat,He flung him down upon the lead:
‘Had there not been peace between our lands,
Upon the other side thou hadst gaed.
31
‘Now sound out, trumpets!’ quo Buccleuch;‘Let's waken Lord Scroope right merrilie!’
Then loud the Warden's trumpets blew
‘O whae dare meddle wi me?’
474
32
Then speedilie to wark we gaed,And raised the slogan ane and a',
And cut a hole thro a sheet of lead,
And so we wan to the castel-ha.
33
They thought King James and a' his menHad won the house wi bow and speir;
It was but twenty Scots and ten
That put a thousand in sic a stear!
34
Wi coulters and wi forehammers,We garrd the bars bang merrilie,
Untill we came to the inner prison,
Where Willie o Kinmont he did lie.
35
And when we cam to the lower prison,Where Willie o Kinmont he did lie,
‘O sleep ye, wake ye, Kinmont Willie,
Upon the morn that thou's to die?’
36
‘O I sleep saft, and I wake aft,It's lang since sleeping was fleyd frae me;
Gie my service back to my wyfe and bairns,
And a' gude fellows that speer for me.’
37
Then Red Rowan has hente him up,The starkest men in Teviotdale:
‘Abide, abide now, Red Rowan,
Till of my Lord Scroope I take farewell.
38
‘Farewell, farewell, my gude Lord Scroope!My gude Lord Scroope, farewell!’ he cried;
‘I'll pay you for my lodging-maill
When first we meet on the border-side.’
39
Then shoulder high, with shout and cry,We bore him down the ladder lang;
At every stride Red Rowan made,
I wot the Kinmont's airns playd clang.
40
‘O mony a time,’ quo Kinmont Willie,‘I have ridden horse baith wild and wood;
But a rougher beast than Red Rowan
I ween my legs have neer bestrode.
41
‘And mony a time,’ quo Kinmont Willie,‘I've pricked a horse out oure the furs;
But since the day I backed a steed
I nevir wore sic cumbrous spurs.’
42
We scarce had won the Staneshaw-bank,When a' the Carlisle bells were rung,
And a thousand men, in horse and foot,
Cam wi the keen Lord Scroope along.
43
Buccleuch has turned to Eden Water,Even where it flowd frae bank to brim,
And he has plunged in wi a' his band,
And safely swam them thro the stream.
44
He turned him on the other side,And at Lord Scroope his glove flung he:
‘If ye like na my visit in merry England,
In fair Scotland come visit me!’
45
All sore astonished stood Lord Scroope,He stood as still as rock of stane;
He scarcely dared to trew his eyes
When thro the water they had gane.
46
‘He is either himsell a devil frae hell,Or else his mother a witch maun be;
I wad na have ridden that wan water
For a' the gowd in Christentie.’
475
187
JOCK O THE SIDE
477
John a Side
JOCK O THE SIDE—A
[OMITTED]1
Peeter a Whifeild he hath slaine,And Iohn a Side, he is tane,
And Iohn is bound both hand and foote,
And to the New-castle he is gone.
2
But tydinges came to the Sybill o the Side,By the water-side as shee rann;
Shee tooke her kirtle by the hem,
And fast shee runn to Mangerton.
3
[OMITTED]The lord was sett downe at his meate;
When these tydings shee did him tell,
Neuer a morsell might he eate.
4
But lords, the wrunge their fingars white,Ladyes did pull themselues by the haire,
Crying, Alas and weladay!
For Iohn o the Side wee shall neuer see more.
5
‘But wee'le goe sell our droues of kine,And after them our oxen sell,
And after them our troopes of sheepe,
But wee will loose him out of the New Castell.’
6
But then bespake him Hobby Noble,And spoke these words wonderous hye;
Sayes, Giue me fiue men to my selfe,
And I'le feitch Iohn o the Side to thee.
7
‘Yea, thou'st haue fiue, Hobby Noble,Of the best that are in this countrye;
I'le giue thee fiue thousand, Hobby Noble,
That walke in Tyuidale trulye.’
8
‘Nay, I'le haue but fiue,’ saies Hobby Noble,‘That shall walke away with mee;
Wee will ryde like noe men of warr;
But like poore badgers wee wilbe.’
9
They stuffet vp all their baggs with straw,And their steeds barefoot must bee;
‘Come on, my bretheren,’ sayes Hobby Noble,
‘Come on your wayes, and goe with mee.’
10
And when they came to Culerton ford,The water was vp, they cold it not goe;
And then they were ware of a good old man,
How his boy and hee were at the plowe.
11
‘But stand you still,’ sayes Hobby Noble,‘Stand you still heere at this shore,
And I will ryde to yonder old man,
And see w[h]ere the gate it lyes ore.
478
12
‘But Christ you saue, father!’ quoth hee,‘Crist both you saue and see!
Where is the way ouer this fford?
For Christ's sake tell itt mee!’
13
‘But I haue dwelled heere three score yeere,Soe haue I done three score and three;
I neuer sawe man nor horsse goe ore,
Except itt were a horse of tree.’
14
‘But fare thou well, thou good old man!The devill in hell I leave with thee,
Noe better comfort heere this night
Thow giues my bretheren heere and me.’
15
But when he came to his brether againe,And told this tydings full of woe,
And then they found a well good gate
They might ryde ore by two and two.
16
And when they were come ouer the fforde,All safe gotten att the last,
‘Thankes be to God!’ sayes Hobby Nobble,
‘The worst of our perill is past.’
17
And then they came into Howbrame wood,And there then they found a tree,
And cutt itt downe then by the roote;
The lenght was thirty ffoote and three.
18
And four of them did take the planke,As light as it had beene a fflee,
And carryed itt to the New Castle,
Where as Iohn a Side did lye.
19
And some did climbe vp by the walls,And some did climbe vp by the tree,
Vntill they came vpp to the top of the castle,
Where Iohn made his moane trulye.
20
He sayd, God be with thee, Sybill o the Side!My owne mother thou art, quoth hee;
If thou knew this night I were here,
A woe woman then woldest thou bee.
21
And fare you well, Lord Mangerton!And euer I say God be with thee!
For if you knew this night I were heere,
You wold sell your land for to loose mee.
22
And fare thou well, Much, Millers sonne!Much, Millars sonne, I say;
Thou has beene better att merke midnight
Then euer thou was att noone o the day.
23
And fare thou well, my good Lord Clough!Thou art thy ffathers sonne and heire;
Thou neuer saw him in all thy liffe
But with him durst thou breake a speare.
24
‘Wee are brothers childer nine or ten,And sisters children ten or eleven.
We neuer came to the feild to fight,
But the worst of us was counted a man.’
25
But then bespake him Hoby Noble,And spake these words vnto him;
Saies, Sleepest thou, wakest thou, Iohn o the Side,
Or art thou this castle within?
26
‘But who is there,’ quoth Iohn oth Side,‘That knowes my name soe right and free?’
‘I am a bastard-brother of thine;
This night I am comen for to loose thee.’
27
‘Now nay, now nay,’ quoth Iohn o the Side;‘Itt ffeares me sore that will not bee;
Ffor a pecke of gold and silver,’ Iohn sayd,
‘In faith this night will not loose mee.’
28
But then bespake him Hobby Noble,And till his brother thus sayd hee;
Sayes, Four shall take this matter in hand,
And two shall tent our geldings ffree.
29
Four did breake one dore without,Then Iohn brake fiue himsell;
But when they came to the iron dore,
It smote twelue vpon the bell.
30
‘Itt ffeares me sore,’ sayd Much, the Miller,‘That heere taken wee all shalbee;’
‘But goe away, bretheren,’ sayd Iohn a Side,
‘For euer alas! this will not bee.’
31
‘But ffye vpon thee!’ sayd Hobby Noble;‘Much, the Miller, fye vpon thee!
‘It sore feares me,’ said Hobby Noble,
‘Man that thou wilt neuer bee.
32
But then he had Fflanders files two or three,And hee fyled downe that iron dore,
479
And sayd, Looke thou neuer come heere more!
33
When he had him fforth of the New Castle,‘Away with me, Iohn, thou shalt ryde:’
But euer alas! itt cold not bee;
For Iohn cold neither sitt nor stryde.
34
But then he had sheets two or three,And bound Iohns boults fast to his ffeete,
And sett him on a well good steede,
Himselfe on another by him seete.
35
Then Hobby Noble smiled and loug[h]e,And spoke these worde in mickle pryde:
Thou sitts soe finely on thy geldinge
That, Iohn, thou rydes like a bryde.
36
And when they came thorrow Howbrame towne,Iohns horsse there stumbled at a stone;
‘Out and alas!’ cryed Much, the Miller,
‘Iohn, thou'le make vs all be tane.’
37
‘But fye vpon thee!’ saies Hobby Noble,‘Much, the Millar, fye on thee!
I know full well,’ sayes Hobby Noble,
‘Man that thou wilt neuer bee.’
38
And when the came into Howbrame wood,He had Fflanders files two or three
To file Iohns bolts beside his ffeete,
That hee might ryde more easilye.
39
Sayes, ‘Iohn, now leape ouer a steede!’And Iohn then hee lope ouer fiue:
‘I know well,’ sayes Hobby Noble,
‘Iohn, thy ffellow is not aliue.’
40
Then he brought him home to Mangerton;The lord then he was att his meate;
But when Iohn o the Side he there did see,
For faine hee cold noe more eate.
41
He sayes, Blest be thou, Hobby Noble,That euer thou wast man borne!
Thou hast feitched vs home good Iohn oth Side,
That was now cleane ffrom vs gone.
Jock o the Side
JOCK O THE SIDE—B
[_]
a. Caw's Poetical Museum, 1784, p. 145; “from an old manuscript copy.” b. Campbell's Albyn's Anthology, II, 28; “taken down from the recitation of Mr Thomas Shortreed,” of Jedburgh, “who learnt it from his father.”
1
‘Now Liddisdale has ridden a raid,But I wat they had better staid at hame;
For Mitchel o Winfield he is dead,
And my son Johnie is prisner tane.’
With my fa ding diddle, la la dow diddle.
2
For Mangerton House auld Downie is gane;Her coats she has kilted up to her knee,
And down the water wi speed she rins,
While tears in spaits fa fast frae her eie.
3
Then up and bespake the lord Mangerton:‘What news, what news, sister Downie, to me?’
‘Bad news, bad news, my lord Mangerton;
Mitchel is killd, and tane they hae my son Johnie.’
4
‘Neer fear, sister Downie,’ quo Mangerton;‘I hae yokes of oxen four and twentie,
My barns, my byres, and my faulds, a' weel filld,
And I'll part wi them a' ere Johnie shall die.
5
‘Three men I'll take to set him free,Weel harnessd a' wi best o steel;
The English rogues may hear, and drie
The weight o their braid swords to feel.
6
‘The Laird's Jock ane, the Laird's Wat twa,Oh, Hobie Noble, thou ane maun be;
Thy coat is blue, thou has been true,
Since England banishd thee, to me.’
7
Now Hobie was an English man,In Bewcastle-dale was bred and born;
But his misdeeds they were sae great,
They banishd him neer to return.
8
Lord Mangerton them orders gave,‘Your horses the wrang way maun a' be shod;
Like gentlemen ye must not seem,
But look like corn-caugers gawn ae road.
480
9
‘Your armour gude ye maunna shaw,Nor ance appear like men o weir;
As country lads be all arrayd,
Wi branks and brecham on ilk mare.’
10
Sae now a' their horses are shod the wrang way,And Hobie has mounted his grey sae fine,
Jock his lively bay, Wat's on his white horse behind,
And on they rode for the water o Tyne.
11
At the Choler-ford they a' light down,And there, wi the help o the light o the moon,
A tree they cut, wi fifteen naggs upo ilk side,
To climb up the wa o Newcastle town.
12
But when they cam to Newcastle town,And were alighted at the wa,
They fand their three three ells oer laigh,
They fand their stick baith short and sma.
13
Then up and spake the Laird's ain Jock,‘There's naething for't, the gates we maun force;’
But when they cam the gates unto,
A proud porter withstood baith men and horse.
14
His neck in twa I wat they hae wrung,Wi hand or foot he neer playd paw;
His life and his keys at anes they hae tane,
And cast his body ahind the wa.
15
Now soon they reach Newcastle jail,And to the prisner thus they call:
‘Sleips thou, wakes thou, Jock o the Side?
Or is thou wearied o thy thrall?’
16
Jock answers thus, wi dolefu tone:Aft, aft I wake, I seldom sleip;
But wha's this kens my name sae weel,
And thus to hear my waes do[es] seik?
17
Then up and spake the good Laird's Jock,‘Neer fear ye now, my billie,’ quo he;
‘For here's the Laird's Jock, the Laird's Wat,
And Hobie Noble, come to set thee free.’
18
‘Oh, had thy tongue, and speak nae mair,And o thy tawk now let me be!
For if a' Liddisdale were here the night,
The morn's the day that I maun die.
19
‘Full fifteen stane o Spanish ironThey hae laid a' right sair on me;
Wi locks and keys I am fast bound
Into this dungeon mirk and drearie.’
20
‘Fear ye no that,’ quo the Laird's Jock;‘A faint heart neer wan a fair ladie;
Work thou within, we'll work without,
And I'll be bound we set thee free.’
21
The first strong dore that they came at,They loosed it without a key;
The next chaind dore that they cam at,
They gard it a' in flinders flee.
22
The prisner now, upo his back,The Laird's Jock's gotten up fu hie;
And down the stair him, irons and a',
Wi nae sma speed and joy brings he.
23
‘Now, Jock, I wat,’ quo Hobie Noble,‘Part o the weight ye may lay on me;’
‘I wat weel no,’ quo the Laird's Jock,
‘I count him lighter than a flee.’
24
Sae out at the gates they a' are gane,The prisner's set on horseback hie;
And now wi speed they've tane the gate,
While ilk ane jokes fu wantonlie.
25
‘O Jock, sae winsomely's ye ride,Wi baith your feet upo ae side!
Sae weel's ye're harnessd, and sae trig!
In troth ye sit like ony bride.’
26
The night, tho wat, they didna mind,But hied them on fu mirrilie,
Until they cam to Cholerford brae,
Where the water ran like mountains hie.
27
But when they came to Cholerford,There they met with an auld man;
Says, Honest man, will the water ride?
Tell us in haste, if that ye can.
28
‘I wat weel no,’ quo the good auld man;‘Here I hae livd this threty yeirs and three,
And I neer yet saw the Tyne sae big,
Nor rinning ance sae like a sea.’
481
29
Then up and spake the Laird's saft Wat,The greatest coward in the company;
‘Now halt, now halt, we needna try't;
The day is comd we a' maun die!’
30
‘Poor faint-hearted thief!’ quo the Laird's Jock,‘There'll nae man die but he that's fie;
I'll lead ye a' right safely through;
Lift ye the prisner on ahint me.’
31
Sae now the water they a' hae tane,By anes and twas they a' swam through;
‘Here are we a' safe,’ says the Laird's Jock,
‘And, poor faint Wat, what think ye now?’
32
They scarce the ither side had won,When twenty men they saw pursue;
Frae Newcastle town they had been sent,
A' English lads, right good and true.
33
But when the land-sergeant the water saw,‘It winna ride, my lads,’ quo he;
Then out he cries, Ye the prisner may take,
But leave the irons, I pray, to me.
34
‘I wat weel no,’ cryd the Laird's Jock,‘I'll keep them a', shoon to my mare they'll be;
My good grey mare, for I am sure,
She's bought them a' fu dear frae thee.’
35
Sae now they're away for Liddisdale,Een as fast as they coud them hie;
The prisner's brought to his ain fire-side,
And there o's airns they make him free.
36
‘Now, Jock, my billie,’ quo a' the three,‘The day was comd thou was to die;
But thou's as weel at thy ain fire-side,
Now sitting, I think, tween thee and me.’
37
They hae gard fill up ae punch-bowl,And after it they maun hae anither,
And thus the night they a' hae spent,
Just as they had been brither and brither.
John o the Side
JOCK O THE SIDE—C
[_]
Percy Papers. “The imperfect copy sent me from Keelder, as collected from the memory of an old person by Mr William Hadley, in 1775.”
1
‘Now Liddisdale has ridden a rade,But I wat they had a better staid at home;
For Michel of Windfield he is slain,
And my son Jonny, they have him tane.’
With my fa dow diddle, lal la dow didle
2
Now Downy's down the water gone,With all her cots unto her arms,
And she gave never over swift running
Untill she came to Mengertown.
3
Up spack Lord Mengertown and says,What news, what news now, sister Downy?
what news hast thou to me?
‘Bad news, bad news, Lord Mengertown,
For Michal of Windfield he is slain, and my
son Jonny they have him tain.’
4
Up speaks Lord Mengertown and says, I havefour and twenty yoke of oxen,
And four and twenty good milk-ky,
And three times as mony sheep,
And I'll gie them a' before my son Jonny die.
5
I will tak three men unto myself;The Laird's Jack he shall be ane,
The Laird's Wat another,
For, Hobbie Noble, thow must be ane.
6
[OMITTED][OMITTED] thy cot is of the blue;
For ever since thou cam to Liddisdale
To Mengertown thou hast been true.
7
Now Hobbie hath mounted his frienged gray,And the Laird's Jack his lively bey,
And Watt with the ald horse behind,
And they are away as fast as they can ride.
8
Till they are come to the Cholar foord,And there they lighted down;
And there they cut a tree with fifty nags upo each side,
For to clim Newcastle wall.
9
And when they came there [OMITTED]It wad not reach by ellish three;
482
‘But forceing o New Castle gate.’
10
And when they came there,There was a proud porter standing,
And I wat they were obliged to wring his neck in twa.
11
Now they are come to New Castle gile:Says they, Sleep thou, wakes thou, John o the Side?
12
Says he, Whiles I wake, but seldom sleep;Who is there that knows my name so well?
13
Up speaks the Laird's Jack and says,[OMITTED]
Here is Jack and Watt and Hobby Noble,
Come this night to set thee free.
14
Up speaks John of the Side and says,O hold thy tongue now, billy, and of thy talk now let me be;
For if a' Liddisdale were here this night,
The morn is the day that I must die.
15
For their is fifty stone of Spanish ironLaid on me fast wee lock and key,
[OMITTED]
[OMITTED]
16
Then up speaks the Laird's Jack and says,A faint heart neer wan a fair lady;
Work thou within and we without,
And this night we'el set the free.
17
The first door that they came atThey lowsed without either lock or key,
[OMITTED]
And the next they brock in flinders three.
18
Till now Jack has got the prisner on his back,And down the tolbooth stair came he;
[OMITTED]
[OMITTED]
19
Up spack Hobby Noble and says,O man, I think thou may lay some weight o the prisner upo me;
‘I wat weel no,’ says the Laird's Jack,
‘For I do not count him as havy as ane poor flee.’
20
So now they have set him upo horse back,And says, O now so winsomly as thou dost ride,
Just like a bride, wee beth thy feet
Unto a side.
21
Now they are away wee him as fast as they can heye,Till they are come to the Cholar foord brae head;
And they met an ald man,
And says, Will the water ride?
22
‘I wat well no,’ says the ald man,‘For I have lived here this thirty years and three,
[OMITTED]
And I think I never saw Tyne running so like a sea.’
23
Up speaks the Laird's Watt and says —The greatest coward of the companie —
[OMITTED]
‘Now, dear billies, the day is come that we must a' die.’
24
Up speaks the Laird's Jack and says, Poor cowardly thief,They will never one die but him that's fee;
[OMITTED]
Set the prisner on behind me.
25
So they have tain the water by ane and two,Till they have got safe swumd through.
26
Be they wan safe a' through,There were twenty men pursueing them from New Castle town.
27
Up speaks the land-sergant and says,If you be gone with the rog, cast me my irons.
28
‘I wat weel no,’ says the Laird's Jack,‘For I will keep them to shew my good grey mere;
[OMITTED]
For I am sure she has bought them dear.’
29
‘Good sooth,’ says the Laird's Jack,‘The worst perel is now past.’
30
So now they have set him upo hoseback,And away as fast as they could hye,
483
And now they have set him down at his own fireside.
31
And says, now John,The day was come that thou was to die,
But thou is full as weel sitting at thy own fireside.
[OMITTED]
32
And now they are falln to drink,And they drank a whole week one day after another,
And if they be not given over,
They are all drinking on yet.
JOCK O THE SIDE—D
[_]
Percy Papers. “These are scraps of the old song repeated to me by Mr Leadbeater, from the neighborhood of Hexham, 1774.”
1
Liddisdaill has ridden a raid,But they had better ha staid at hame;
For Michael a Wingfield he is slain,
And Jock o the Side they hae taen.
2
Dinah's down the water gane,Wi a' her coats untill her knes,
[OMITTED]
To Mangerton came she.
3
[OMITTED]How now? how now? What's your will wi me?
[OMITTED]
[OMITTED]
4
To the New Castle h[e] is gane.5
They have cuttin their yad's tailes,They've cut them a little abune the hough,
And they nevir gave oer s[OMITTED]d running
Till they came to Hathery Haugh.
6
And when they came to Chollerton fordTyne was mair running like a sea.
[OMITTED]
[OMITTED]
7
And when they came to Swinburne wood,Quickly they ha fellen a tree;
Twenty snags on either side,
And on the top it had lang three.
8
‘My mare is young, she wul na swim,’[OMITTED]
[OMITTED]
[OMITTED]
9
[OMITTED]‘Now Mudge the Miller, fie on thee!
Tak thou mine, and I'll tak thine,
And the deel hang down thy yad and thee.’
484
188
ARCHIE O CAWFIELD
487
Archie of the Cawfield
ARCHIE O CAWFIELD—A
1
Late in an evening forth as I went,'Twas on the dawning of the day;
I heard two brothers make their moan,
I listend well what they did say.
2
[OMITTED][OMITTED]
We were three born brethren,
There[s] one of us condemnd to die.
3
Then up bespake Jock the laird:‘If I had but a hundre men,
A hundred o th best i Christenty,
I wad go on to fair Dumfries,
I wad loose my brother and set him free.’
4
So up bespak then Dicky Ha,He was the wisest o the three:
‘A hundre men we'll never get,
Neither for gold nor fee,
But some of them will us betray;
They'l neither fight for gold nor fee.
5
‘Had I but ten well-wight men,Ten o the best i Christenty,
I wad gae on to fair Dumfries,
I wad loose my brother and set him free.
6
‘Jocky Ha, our cousin,'s be the first man’(For leugh o Liddesdale cracked he);
‘An ever we come till a pinch,
He'll be as good as ony three.’
7
They mounted ten well-wight men,Ten o the best i Christenty;
[OMITTED]
[OMITTED]
8
There was horsing and horsing of haste,And cracking o whips out oer the lee,
Till they came to fair Barngliss,
And they ca'd the smith right quietly.
9
He has shod them a' their horse,He's shod them siccer and honestly,
And he as turnd the cawkers backwards oer,
Where foremost they were wont to be.
10
And there was horsing, horsing of haste,And cracking of whips out oer the lee,
Until they came to the Bonshaw wood,
Where they held their council privately.
11
Some says, We'll gang the Annan road,It is the better road, said they;
Up bespak then Dicky Ha,
The wisest of that company.
12
‘Annan road's a publick road,It's no the road that makes for me;
But we will through at Hoddam ford,
It is the better road,’ said he.
13
And there was horsing, horsing o haste,And cracking of whips out oer the lea,
Until they came to fair Dumfries,
And it was newly strucken three.
14
Up bespake then Jocky Ha,For leugh o Liddesdale cracked he:
‘I have a mare, they ca her Meg,
She is the best i Christenty;
An ever we come till a pinch,
She'll bring awa both thee and me.’
15
‘But five we'll leave to had our horse,And five will watch, guard for to be;
Who is the man,’ said Dicky then,
‘To the prison-door will go with me?’
16
Up bespak then Jocky Ha,For leugh o Liddesdale cracked he:
‘I am the man,’ said Jocky than,
‘To the prison-door I'll go with thee.’
17
They are up the jail-stair,They stepped it right soberly,
Until they came to the jail-door;
They ca'd the prisoner quietly.
18
‘O sleeps thou, wakest thou, Archie, my billy?O sleeps thou, wakes thou, dear billy?’
‘Sometimes I sleep, sometimes I wake;
But who's that knows my name so well?’ [said he.]
‘I am thy brother Dicky,’ he says;
‘This night I'm come to borrow thee.’
19
But up bespake the prisoner then,And O but he spake woefully!
‘Today has been a justice-court,
[OMITTED]
488
The morn's the day at I'se to die.’
20
‘What is thy crime, Archie, my billy?What is the crime they lay to thee?’
‘I brake a spear i the warden's breast,
For saving my master's land,’ said he.
21
‘If that be a' the crime they lay to thee, Archie, my billy,If that be the crime they lay to thee,
Work thou within, and me without,
And thro good strength I'll borrow thee.’
22
‘I cannot work, billy,’ he says,‘I cannot work, billy, with thee,
For fifteen stone of Spanish iron
Lyes fast to me with lock and key.’
23
When Dicky he heard that,‘Away, thou crabby chiel!’ cried he;
He's taen the door aye with his foot,
And fast he followd it with his knee.
Till a' the bolts the door hung on,
O th' prison-floor he made them flee.
24
‘Thou's welcome, welcome, Archy, my billy,Thou's aye right dear welcome to me;
There shall be straiks this day,’ he said,
‘This day or thou be taen from me.’
25
He's got the prisoner on o his back,He's gotten him irons and aw,
[OMITTED]
[OMITTED]
26
Up bespake then Jocky Ha,‘Let some o th' prisoner lean on me;’
‘The diel o there,’ quo Dicky than,
‘He's no the wightdom of a flea.’
27
They are on o that gray mare,And they are on o her aw three,
And they linked the irons about her neck,
And galloped the street right wantonly.
28
‘To horse, to horse,’ then, ‘all,’ he says,‘Horse ye with all the might ye may,
For the jailor he will waken next;
And the prisoners had a' wan away.’
29
There was horsing, horsing of haste,And cracking o whips out oer the lea,
Until they came to the Bonshaw Shield;
There they held their council privately.
30
Some says, ‘We'll gang the Annan road;It is the better road,’ said they;
But up bespak than Dicky Ha,
The wisest of that company:
31
‘Annan road's a publick road,It's not the road that makes for me;
But we will through at Annan Holme,
It is the better road,’ said he;
‘An we were in at Wamfrey Gate,
The Johnstones they will a' help me.’
32
But Dicky lookd oer his left shoulder,I wait a wiley look gave he;
He spied the leiutenant coming,
And a hundre men of his company.
33
‘So horse ye, horse ye, lads!’ he said,‘O horse ye, sure and siccerly!
For yonder is the lieutenant,
With a hundred men of his company.’
34
There was horsing, horsing of haste,And cracking o whips out oer the lea,
Until they came to Annan Holme,
And it was running like a sea.
35
But up bespake the lieutenant,Until a bonny lad said he,
‘Who is the man,’ said the leiutenant,
‘Rides foremost of yon company?’
36
Then up bespake the bonny lad,Until the lieutenant said he,
‘Some men do ca him Dicky Ha,
Rides foremost of yon company.’
37
‘O haste ye, haste ye!’ said the leiutenant,‘Pursue with a' the might ye may!
For the man had needs to be well saint
That comes thro the hands o Dicky Ha.’
38
But up bespak Jock the laird,‘This has been a dearsome night to me;
I've a colt of four years old,
I wait he wannelld like the wind;
If ever he come to the deep,
He will plump down, leave me behind.’
489
39
‘Wae light o thee and thy horse baith, Jock,And even so thy horse and thee!
Take thou mine, and I'll take thine,
Foul fa the warst horse i th' company!
I'll cast the prisoner me behind;
There'll no man die but him that's fee.’
40
There they've a' taen the flood,And they have taen it hastily;
Dicky was the hindmost took the flood,
And foremost on the land stood he.
41
Dicky's turnd his horse about,And he has turnd it hastilly:
‘Come through, come thro, my lieutenant,
Come thro this day, and drink wi me,
And thy dinner's be dressd in Annan Holme,
It sall not cost thee one penny.’
42
‘I think some witch has bore the, Dicky,Or some devil in hell been thy daddy;
I woud not swum that wan water double-horsed,
For a' the gold in Christenty.
43
‘But throw me thro my irons, Dicky,I wait they cost me full dear;’
‘O devil be there,’ quo Jocky Hall,
‘They'l be good shoon to my gray mare.’
44
O up bespoke then Jock the laird,‘This has been a dearsome night to me;
For yesternight the Cawfield was my ain,
Landsman again I neer sall be.’
45
‘Now wae light o thee and thy lands baith, Jock,And even so baith the land and thee!
For gear will come and gear will gang,
But three brothers again we never were to be.’
Archie of Cafield; or, Archie of Ca'field
ARCHIE O CAWFIELD—B
[_]
a. Glenriddell MSS, XI, 14, 1791, “an old West Border ballad.” b. Scott's Minstrelsy, 1833, II, 116.
1
As I was walking mine alane,It was by the dawning o the day,
I heard twa brothers make their maine,
And I listned well what they did say.
2
The eldest to the youngest said,‘O dear brother, how can this be!
There was three brethren of us born,
And one of us is condemnd to die.’
3
‘O chuse ye out a hundred men,A hundred men in Christ[e]ndie,
And we'll away to Dumfries town,
And set our billie Archie free.’
4
‘A hundred men you cannot get,Nor yet sixteen in Christendie;
For some of them will us betray,
And other some will work for fee.
5
‘But chuse ye out eleven men,And we ourselves thirteen will be,
And we'ill away to Dumfries town,
And borrow bony billie Archie.’
6
There was horsing, horsing in haste,And there was marching upon the lee,
Untill they came to the Murraywhat,
And they lighted a' right speedylie.
7
‘A smith, a smith!’ Dickie he crys,‘A smith, a smith, right speedily,
To turn back the cakers of our horses feet!
For it is forward we woud be.’
8
There was a horsing, horsing in haste,There was marching on the lee,
Untill they came to Dumfries port,
And there they lighted right manfulie.
9
‘There['s] six of us will hold the horse,And other five watchmen will be;
But who is the man among you a'
Will go to the Tolbooth door wi me?’
10
O up then spake Jokie Hall(Fra the laigh of Tiviotdale was he),
‘If it should cost my life this very night,
I'll ga to the Tollbooth door wi thee.’
11
‘O sleepst thou, wakest thow, Archie laddie?O sleepst thou, wakest thow, dear billie?’
‘I sleep but saft, I waken oft,
For the morn's the day that I man die.’
490
12
‘Be o good cheer now, Archie lad,Be o good cheer now, dear billie;
Work thow within and I without,
And the morn thou's dine at Cafield wi me.’
13
‘O work, O work, Archie?’ he cries,‘O work, O work? ther's na working for me;
For ther's fifteen stane o Spanish iron,
And it lys fow sair on my body.’
14
O Jokie Hall stept to the door,And he bended it back upon his knee,
And he made the bolts that the door hang on
Jump to the wa right wantonlie.
15
He took the prisoner on his back,And down the Tollbooth stairs came he;
Out then spak Dickie and said,
Let some o the weight fa on me;
‘O shame a ma!’ co Jokie Ha,
‘For he's no the weight of a poor flee.’
16
The gray mare stands at the door,And I wat neer a foot stirt she,
Till they laid the links out oer her neck,
And her girth was the gold-twist to be.
17
And they came down thro Dumfries town,And O but they came bonily!
Untill they came to Lochmaben port,
And they leugh a' the night manfulie.
18
There was horsing, horsing in haste,And there was marching on the lee,
Untill they came to the Murraywhat,
And they lighted a' right speedilie.
19
‘A smith, a smith!’ Dickie he cries,‘A smith, a smith, right speedilie,
To file off the shakles fra my dear brother!
For it is forward we wad be.’
20
They had not filtt a shakle of iron,A shakle of iron but barely three,
Till out then spake young Simon brave,
‘Ye do na see what I do see.
21
‘Lo yonder comes Liewtenant Gordon,And a hundred men in his company:’
‘O wo is me!’ then Archie cries,
‘For I'm the prisoner, and I must die.’
22
O there was horsing, horsing in haste,And there was marching upon the lee,
Untill they came to Annan side,
And it was flowing like the sea.
23
‘I have a colt, and he's four years old,And he can amble like the wind,
But when he comes to the belly deep,
He lays himself down on the ground.’
24
‘But I have a mare, and they call her Meg,And she's the best in Christendie;
Set ye the prisoner me behind;
Ther'll na man die but he that's fae!’
25
Now they did swim that wan water,And O but they swam bonilie!
Untill they came to the other side,
And they wrang their cloathes right drunk[i]lie.
26
‘Come through, come through, Lieutenant Gordon!Come through, and drink some wine wi me!
For ther's a ale-house neer hard by,
And it shall not cost thee one penny.’
27
‘Throw me my irons, Dickie!’ he cries,‘For I wat they cost me right dear;’
‘O shame a ma!’ cries Jokie Ha,
‘For they'll be good shoon to my gray mare.’
28
‘Surely thy minnie has been some witch,Or thy dad some warlock has been;
Else thow had never attempted such,
Or to the bottom thow had gone.
29
‘Throw me my irons, Dickie!’ he cries,‘For I wot they cost me dear enough;’
‘O shame a ma!’ cries Jokie Ha,
‘They'll be good shakles to my plough.’
30
‘Come through, come through, Liewtenant Gordon!Come throw, and drink some wine wi me!
For yesterday I was your prisoner,
But now the night I am set free.’
491
The Three Brothers
ARCHIE O CAWFIELD—C
1
As I walked on a pleasant green —'Twas on the first morning of May —
I heard twa brothers make their moan,
And hearkend well what they did say.
2
The first he gave a grievous sigh,And said, Alas, and wae is me!
We hae a brother condemned to death,
And the very morn must hanged be.
3
Then out it speaks him Little Dick,I wat a gude fellow was he:
‘Had I three men unto mysell,
Well borrowed shoud Bell Archie be.’
4
Out it speaks him Johnny Ha,A better fellow by far was he:
‘Ye shall hae six men and yoursell,
And me to bear you companie.
5
‘Twa for keepers o the guard,See that to keep it sickerlie,
And twa to come, and twa to gang,
And twa to speak wi Bell Archie.
6
‘But we winna gang like men o weir,Nor yet will we like cavalliers;
But we will gang like corn-buyers,
And we'll put brechens on our mares.’
7
Then they are to the jail-house doors,And they hae tirled at the pin:
‘Ye sleep ye, wake ye, Bell Archie?
Quickly rise, lat us come in.’
8
‘I sleep not aft, I lie not saft;Wha's there that knocks and kens my name?’
‘It is your brothers Dick and John;
Ye'll open the door, lat us come in.’
9
‘Awa, awa, my brethren dear,And ye'll had far awa frae me;
If ye be found at jail-house door,
I fear like dogs they'll gar ye die.’
10
‘Ohon, alas! my brother dear,Is this the hearkning ye gie to me?
If ye'll work therein as we thereout,
Well borrowd shoud your body be.’
11
‘How can I work therein, therein,Or yet how can I work thereout,
When fifty tons o Spanish iron
Are my fair body round about?’
12
He put his fingers to the lock,I wat he handled them sickerlie,
And doors of deal, and bands of steel,
He gart them all in flinders flee.
13
He's taen the prisoner in his arms,And he has kissd him cheek and chin:
‘Now since we've met, my brother dear,
There shall be dunts ere we twa twine.’
14
He's taen the prisoner on his back,And a' his heavy irons tee,
But and his marie in his hand,
And straight to Annan gate went he.
15
But when they came to Annan water,It was roaring like the sea:
‘O stay a little, Johnny Ha,
Here we can neither fecht nor flee.
16
‘O a refreshment we maun hae,We are baith dry and hungry tee;
We'll gang to Robert's at the mill,
It stands upon yon lily lee.’
17
Up in the morning the jailor raise,As soon's 'twas light that he coud see;
Wi a pint o wine and a mess sae fine,
Into the prison-house went he.
18
When he came to the prison-door,A dreary sight he had to see;
The locks were shot, the doors were broke,
And a' the prisoners won free.
19
‘Ye'll gae and waken Annan town,Raise up five hundred men and three;
And if these rascals may be found,
I vow like dogs I'll gar them die.
20
‘O dinna ye hear proud Annan roar,Mair loud than ever roard the sea?
We'll get the rascals on this side,
Sure they can neither fecht nor flee.
492
21
‘Some gar ride, and some gar rin,Wi a' the haste that ye can make;
We'll get them in some tavern-house,
For Annan water they winna take.’
22
As Little Dick was looking round,All for to see what he could see,
Saw the proud sheriff trip the plain,
Five hundred men his companie.
23
‘O fare ye well, my bonny wife,Likewise farewell, my children three!
Fare ye well, ye lands o Cafield!
For you again I neer will see.
24
‘For well I kent, ere I came here,That Annan water woud ruin me;
My horse is young, he'll nae lat ride,
And in this water I maun die.’
25
Out it speaks him Johnny Ha,I wat a gude fellow was he:
‘O plague upo your cowardly face!
The bluntest man I eer did see.
26
‘Gie me your horse, take ye my mare,The devil drown my mare and thee!
Gie me the prisoner on behind,
And nane will die but he that's fay.’
27
He quickly lap upo the horse,And strait the stirrups siccarlie,
And jumpd upo the other side,
Wi the prisoner and his irons tee.
28
The sheriff then came to the bank,And heard its roaring like the sea;
Says, How these men they hae got ower,
It is a marvel unto me.
29
‘I wadna venture after them,For a' the criminals that I see;
Nevertheless now, Johnny Ha,
Throw ower the fetters unto me.’
30
‘Deil part you and the fetters,’ he said,‘As lang as my mare needs a shee;
If she gang barefoot ere they be done,
I wish an ill death mat ye die.’
31
‘Awa, awa, now Johnny Ha,Your talk to me seems very snell;
Your mither's been some wild rank witch,
And you yoursell an imp o hell.’
Billie Archie
ARCHIE O CAWFIELD—D
[_]
Motherwell's MS., p. 467, “received in MS. by Buchan from Mr Nicol, of Strichen, who wrote as he had learned early in life from old people:” Motherwell's Minstrelsy, p. 335.
1
‘Seven years have I loved my love,And seven years my love's loved me,
But now to-morrow is the day
That billy Archie, my love, must die.’
2
O then out spoke him Little Dickie,And still the best fellow was he:
‘Had I but five men and my self,
Then we would borrow billy Archie.’
3
Out it spoke him Caff o Lin,And still the worst fellow was he:
‘You shall have five men and yourself,
And I will bear you companye.’
4
‘We will not go like to dragoons,Nor yet will we like grenadiers,
But we will go like corn-dealers,
And lay our brechams on our meares.
5
‘And twa of us will watch the road,And other twa will go between,
And I will go to jail-house door,
And hold the prisoner unthought lang.’
6
‘Who is this at jail-house door,So well as they do know the gin?’
‘It's I myself,’ [said] him Little Dickie,
‘And oh sae fain's I would be in!’
7
‘Away, away, now, Little Dickie!Away, let all your folly be!
If the Lord Lieutenant come on you,
Like unto dogs he'll cause you die.’
8
‘Hold you, hold you, billy Archie,And now let all your folly be!
Tho I die without, you'll not die within,
For borrowed shall your body be.’
493
9
‘Away, away, now, Little Dickie!Away, let all this folly be!
An hundred pounds of Spanish irons
Is all bound on my fair bodie.’
10
Wi plough-culters and gavellocksThey made the jail-house door to flee;
‘And in God's name,’ said Little Dickie,
‘Cast you the prisoner behind me!’
11
They had not rode a great way off,With all the haste that ever could be,
Till they espied the Lord Lieutenant,
With a hundred men in's companie.
12
But when they came to wan water,It now was rumbling like the sea;
Then were they got into a strait,
As great a strait as well could be.
13
Then out did speak him Caff o Lin,And aye the warst fellow was he:
‘Now God be with my wife and bairns!
For fatherless my babes will be.
14
‘My horse is young, he cannot swim;The water's deep, and will not wade;
My children must be fatherless,
My wife a widow, whateer betide.’
15
O then cried out him Little Dickie,And still the best fellow was he:
‘Take you my mare, I'll take your horse,
And Devil drown my mare and thee!’
16
Now they have taken the wan water,Tho it was roaring like the sea,
And whan they got to the other side,
I wot they bragged right crouselie.
17
‘Come thro, come thro now, Lord Lieutenant!O do come thro, I pray of thee!
There is an alehouse not far off,
We'll dine you and your companye.’
18
‘Away, away, now, Little Dickie!O now let all your taunting be!
There's not a man in the king's army
That would have tried what's done by thee.
19
‘Cast back, cast back my fetters again!Cast back my fetters! I say to thee;
And get you gane the way you came,
I wish no prisoners like to thee.’
20
‘I have a mare, she's called Meg,The best in all our low countrie;
If she gang barefoot till they are done,
An ill death may your lordship die!’
ARCHIE O CAWFIELD—E
[_]
Macmath MS, p. 76. “Taken down by me, September, 1886, from my aunt, Miss Jane Webster: heard by her in her youth, at Airds.”
1
[OMITTED][OMITTED]
‘We'll awa to bonnie Dundee,
And set our brither Archie free.’
2
They broke through locks, and they broke through bars,And they broke through everything that cam in their way,
Until they cam to a big iron gate,
And that's where brother Archie lay.
3
[OMITTED]‘O brither Archie speak to me,
[OMITTED]
For we are come to set ye free.’
4
[OMITTED]‘Such a thing it canna be,
For there's fifty pund o gude Spanish airn
Atween my neckbane and my knee.’
494
ARCHIE O CAWFIELD—F
[_]
Communicated by Mr J. M. Watson, of Clark's Island, Plymouth Harbor, Massachusetts, April 10, 1889, as remembered by him from the singing of his father.
1
As I walked out one morning in May,Just before the break of day,
I heard two brothers a making their moan,
And I listened a while to what they did say.
I heard, etc.
2
‘We have a brother in prison,’ said they,‘Oh in prison lieth he!
If we had but ten men just like ourselves,
The prisoner we would soon set free.’
3
‘Oh no, no, no!’ Bold Dickie said he,‘Oh no, no, no, that never can be!
For forty men is full little enough
And I for to ride in their companie.
4
‘Ten to hold the horses in,Ten to guard the city about,
Ten for to stand at the prison-door,
And ten to fetch poor Archer out.’
5
They mounted their horses, and so rode they,Who but they so merrilie!
They rode till they came to a broad river's side,
And there they alighted so manfullie.
6
They mounted their horses, and so swam they,Who but they so merrilie!
They swam till they came to the other side,
And there they alighted so manfullie.
7
They mounted their horses, and so rode they,Who but they so merrilie!
They rode till they came to that prison-door,
And then they alighted so manfullie.
8
[OMITTED][OMITTED]
‘For I have forty men in my companie,
And I have come to set you free.’
9
‘Oh no, no, no!’ poor Archer says he,‘Oh no, no, no, that never can be!
For I have forty pounds of good Spanish iron
Betwixt my ankle and my knee.’
10
Bold Dickie broke lock, Bold Dickie broke key,Bold Dickie broke everything that he could see;
He took poor Archer under one arm,
And carried him out so manfullie.
11
They mounted their horses, and so rode they,Who but they so merrilie!
They rode till they came to that broad river's side,
And there they alighted so manfullie.
12
‘Bold Dickie, Bold Dickie,’ poor Archer says he,‘Take my love home to my wife and children three;
For my horse grows lame, he cannot swim,
And here I see that I must die.’
13
They shifted their horses, and so swam they,Who but they so merrilie!
They swam till they came to the other side,
And there they alighted so manfullie.
14
‘Bold Dickie, Bold Dickie,’ poor Archer says he,‘Look you yonder there and see;
For the high-sheriff he is a coming,
With an hundred men in his companie.’
15
‘Bold Dickie, Bold Dickie,’ High-sheriff said he,‘You're the damndest rascal that ever I see!
Go bring me back the iron you've stole,
And I will set the prisoner frec.’
16
‘Oh no, no, no!’ Bold Dickie said he,‘Oh no, no, no, that never can be!
For the iron't will do to shoe the horses,
The blacksmith rides in our companie.’
17
‘Bold Dickie, Bold Dickie,’ High-sheriff says he,‘You're the damndest rascal that ever I see!’
‘I thank ye for nothing,’ Bold Dickie says he,
‘And you're a damned fool for following me.’
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