Chapter IV: Book VII: Continued (2)

"The transactions which did the greatest honour to the Earl of Surrey and his family at this time [A. D. 1511], was their behaviour in the case of Barton, a Scotch sea-officer. This gentleman's father having suffered by sea from the Portuguese, he had obtained letters of marque for his two sons to make reprisals upon the subjects of Portugal. It is extremely probable, that the court of Scotland granted these letters with no very honest intention. The council-board of England, at which the Earl of Surrey held the chief place, was daily pestered with complaints from the sailors and merchants, that Barton, who was called Sir Andrew Barton, under pretence of searching for Portuguese goods, interrupted the English navigation. Henry's situation at that time rendered him backward from breaking with Scotland, so that their complaints were but coldly received. The Earl of Surrey, however, could not smother his indignation, but gallantly declared at the council-board, that while he had an estate that could furnish out a ship, or a son that was capable of commanding one, the narrow seas should not be infested.

"Sir Andrew Barton, who commanded the two Scotch ships, had the reputation of being one of the ablest sea officers of his time. By his depredations, he had amassed great wealth, and his ships were very richly laden. Henry, notwithstanding his situation, could not refuse the generous offer made by the Earl of Surrey. Two ships were immediately fitted out, and put to sea with letters of marque, under his two sons, Sir Thomas and Sir Edward Howard. After encountering a great deal of foul weather, Sir Thomas came up with the Lion, which was commanded by Sir Andrew Barton in person; and Sir Edward came up with the Union, Barton's other ship [called by Hall, the Bark of Scotland]. The engagement which ensued was extremely obstinate on both sides; but at last the fortune of the Howards prevailed. Sir Andrew was killed, fighting bravely, and encouraging his men with his whistle, to hold out to the last; and the two Scotch ships, with their crews, were carried into the River Thames [Aug. 2, 1511]." (Guthrie's _Peerage_, as quoted by Percy.)

An old copy in the precious Manuscript furnished the foundation for Percy's edition of this noble ballad. The editor states that the text of the original was so incorrect as to require emendations from black-letter copies and from conjecture. These emendations, where they are noted, we have for the most part disregarded. We would fain believe that nothing except a defect in the manuscript could have reconciled the Bishop to adopting the four lines with which the ballad now begins.

The common, or black-letter copies, are somewhat abridged as well as modernized. One of these is given in the Appendix.

THE FIRST PART.

When Flora with her fragrant flowers[L1]
Bedeckt the earth so trim and gaye,
And Neptune with his daintye showers
Came to present the monthe of Maye,
King Henrye rode to take the ayre, 5
Over the river of Thames past hee;
When eighty merchants of London came,
And downe they knelt upon their knee.

"O yee are welcome, rich merchànts,
Good saylors, welcome unto mee:" 10
They swore by the rood, they were saylors good,
But rich merchànts they cold not bee.
"To France nor Flanders dare we pass,
Nor Bordeaux voyage dare we fare;
And all for a robber that lyes on the seas, 15
Who robbs us of our merchant ware."

King Henrye frownd, and turned him rounde,
And swore by the Lord that was mickle of might,
"I thought he had not beene in the world,
Durst have wrought England such unright." 20
The merchants sighed, and said, "Alas!"
And thus they did their answer frame;
"He is a proud Scott, that robbs on the seas,
And Sir Andrewe Barton is his name."

The king lookt over his left shoulder, 25
And an angrye look then looked hee;
"Have I never a lorde in all my realme,
Will feitch yond traytor unto mee?"
"Yea, that dare I," Lord Charles Howard sayes;
"Yea, that dare I, with heart and hand; 30
If it please your grace to give me leave,
Myselfe will be the only man."

"Thou art but yong," the kyng replyed,
"Yond Scott hath numbred manye a yeare:"
"Trust me, my liege, Ile make him quail, 35
Or before my prince I will never appeare."
"Then bowemen and gunners thou shalt have,
And chuse them over my realme so free;
Besides good mariners, and shipp-boyes,
To guide the great shipp on the sea." 40

The first man that Lord Howard chose,
Was the ablest gunner in all the realm,
Thoughe he was threescore yeeres and ten;
Good Peter Simon was his name.
"Peter," sais hee, "I must to the sea, 45
To bring home a traytor live or dead;
Before all others I have chosen thee,
Of a hundred gunners to be the head."

"If you, my lord, have chosen mee
Of a hundred gunners to be the head, 50
Then hang me up on your maine-mast tree,
If I misse my marke one shilling bread."
My lord then chose a boweman rare,
Whose active hands had gained fame;[L54]
In Yorkshire was this gentleman borne, 55
And William Horseley was his name.

"Horsley," sayd he, "I must with speede
Go seeke a traytor on the sea,
And now of a hundred bowemen brave
To be the head I have chosen thee." 60
"If you," quoth hee, "have chosen mee
Of a hundred bowemen to be the head,
On your main-mast Ile hanged bee,
If I miss twelvescore one penny bread."

With pikes, and gunnes, and bowemen bold, 65
This noble Howard is gone to the sea;
With a valyant heart and a pleasant cheare,
Out at Thames mouth sayled he.
And days he scant had sayled three,
Upon the journey he tooke in hand, 70
But there he mett with a noble shipp,
And stoutely made itt stay and stand.

"Thou must tell me," Lord Howard said,
"Now who thou art, and what's thy name;
And shewe me where thy dwelling is, 75
And whither bound, and whence thou came."
"My name is Henry Hunt," quoth hee,
With a heavye heart, and a carefull mind;
"I and my shipp doe both belong
To the Newcastle that stands upon Tyne." 80

"Hast thou not heard, nowe, Henrye Hunt,
As thou hast sayled by daye and by night,
Of a Scottish robber on the seas;
Men call him Sir Andrew Barton, knight?"
Then ever he sighed, and sayd "Alas!" 85
With a grieved mind, and well-away,
"But over-well I knowe that wight;
I was his prisoner yesterday.

"As I was sayling uppon the sea,
A Burdeaux voyage for to fare, 90
To his hach-borde he clasped me,[L91]
And robd me of all my merchant ware.
And mickle debts, God wot, I owe,
And every man will have his owne,
And I am nowe to London bounde, 95
Of our gracious king to beg a boone."

"That shall not need," Lord Howard sais;
"Lett me but once that robber see,
For every penny tane thee froe
It shall be doubled shillings three." 100
"Nowe Gode forefend," the merchant said,
"That you shold seek soe far amisse!
God keepe you out of that traitors hands!
Full litle ye wott what a man hee is.

"Hee is brasse within, and steele without, 105
With beames on his topcastle stronge;
And eighteen pieces of ordinance
He carries on each side along.
And he hath a pinnace deerlye dight,
St. Andrewes crosse, that is his guide; 110
His pinnace beareth ninescore men,
And fifteen canons on each side.

"Were ye twentye shippes, and he but one,
I sweare by kirke, and bower, and hall,
He wold overcome them everye one,[L115] 115
If once his beames they doe downe fall."
"This is cold comfort," sais my lord,
"To wellcome a stranger thus to the sea:
Yet Ile bring him and his shipp to shore,
Or to Scotland hee shall carrye mee." 120

"Then a noble gunner you must have,
And he must aim well with his ee,
And sinke his pinnace into the sea,
Or else hee never orecome will bee.
And if you chance his shipp to borde, 125
This counsel I must give withall,
Let no man to his topcastle goe
To strive to let his beams downe fall.

"And seven pieces of ordinance,
I pray your honour lend to mee, 130
On each side of my shipp along,
And I will lead you on the sea.
A glasse Ile sett, that may be seene,
Whether you sayle by day or night;
And to-morrowe, I sweare, by nine of the clocke,
You shall meet with Sir Andrewe Barton, knight." 135

1-4. from the printed copy.

54. from the printed copy.

91. The MS. has here archborde, but in Part II. v. 5, hachebord.

115. It should seem from hence, that before our marine artillery was brought to its present perfection, some naval commanders had recourse to instruments or machines, similar in use, though perhaps unlike in construction, to the heavy Dolphins made of lead or iron used by the ancient Greeks; which they suspended from beams or yards fastened to the mast, and which they precipitately let fall on the enemies' ships, in order to sink them, by beating holes through the bottoms of their undecked triremes, or otherwise damaging them.--PERCY.

THE SECOND PART.

The merchant sett my lorde a glasse,
Soe well apparent in his sight,
And on the morrowe, by nine of the clocke,
He shewed him Sir Andrewe Barton, knight.
His hachebord it was hached with gold, 5
Soe deerlye dight it dazzled the ee;
"Nowe by my faith," Lord Howarde sais,
"This is a gallant sight to see.

"Take in your ancyents, standards eke,
So close that no man may them see; 10
And put me forth a white willowe wand,
As merchants use to sayle the sea."
But they stirred neither top nor mast;[L13]
Stoutly they past Sir Andrew by;
"What English churles are yonder," he sayd, 15
"That can soe litle curtesye?

"Now by the roode, three yeares and more
I have been admirall over the sea,
And never an English nor Portingall
Without my leave can passe this way." 20
Then called he forth his stout pinnàce;
"Fetch backe yond pedlars nowe to mee:
I sweare by the masse, yon English churles
Shall all hang att my maine-mast tree."

With that the pinnace itt shott off; 25
Full well Lord Howard might it ken;
For itt stroke down my lord's fore-mast,
And killed fourteen of his men.
"Come hither, Simon," sayes my lord,
"Looke that thy word be true, thou said; 30
For at my main-mast thou shalt hang,
If thou misse thy marke one shilling bread."

Simon was old, but his heart itt was bold;
His ordinance he laid right lowe,
He put in chaine full nine yardes long, 35
With other great shott, lesse and moe,
And he lette goe his great gunnes shott;
Soe well he settled itt with his ee,
The first sight that Sir Andrew sawe,
He see his pinnace sunke in the sea. 40

And when he saw his pinnace sunke,
Lord, how his heart with rage did swell!
"Nowe cutt my ropes, itt is time to be gon;
Ile fetch yond pedlars backe mysell."
When my lord sawe Sir Andrewe loose, 45
Within his heart hee was full faine;
"Nowe spread your ancyents, strike up drummes,
Sound all your trumpetts out amaine."

"Fight on, my men," Sir Andrewe sais,
"Weale, howsoever this geere will sway; 50
Itt is my lord admirall of Englànd,
Is come to seeke mee on the sea."
Simon had a sonne, who shott right well,
That did Sir Andrewe mickle scare;
In att his decke he gave a shott, 55
Killed threescore of his men of warre.

Then Henrye Hunt, with rigour hott,
Came bravely on the other side;
Soone he drove downe his fore-mast tree,
And killed fourscore men beside. 60
"Nowe, out alas!" Sir Andrewe cryed,
"What may a man now thinke or say?
Yonder merchant theefe, that pierceth mee,
He was my prisoner yesterday.

"Come hither to me, thou Gordon good, 65
That aye wast readye att my call;
I will give thee three hundred pounds,
If thou wilt let my beames downe fall."
Lord Howard hee then calld in haste,
"Horselye, see thou be true in stead; 70
For thou shalt at the maine-mast hang,
If thou misse twelvescore one penny bread."

Then Gordon swarved the maine-mast tree,
He swarved it with might and maine;
But Horseley with a bearing arrowe, 75
Stroke the Gordon through the braine;
And he fell unto the haches again,
And sore his deadlye wounde did bleede:
Then word went through Sir Andrews men,
How that the Gordon hee was dead. 80

"Come hither to mee, James Hambilton,
Thou art my only sisters sonne;
If thou wilt let my beames downe fall,
Six hundred nobles thou hast wonne."[L84]
With that he swarved the main-mast tree, 85
He swarved it with nimble art;
But Horseley with a broad arrowe
Pierced the Hambilton thorough the heart.

And downe he fell upon the deck,
That with his blood did streame amaine: 90
Then every Scott cryed, "Well-away!
Alas a comelye youth is slaine!"
All woe begone was Sir Andrew then,
With griefe and rage his heart did swell;
"Go fetch me forth my armour of proofe, 95
For I will to the topcastle mysell.

"Goe fetch me forth my armour of proofe,
That gilded is with gold soe cleare;
God be with my brother John of Barton!
Against the Portingalls hee it ware. 100
And when he had on this armour of proofe,
He was a gallant sight to see;
Ah! nere didst thou meet with living wight,
My deere brothèr, could cope with thee."

"Come hither, Horseley," sayes my lord, 105
"And looke your shaft that itt goe right;
Shoot a good shoote in time of need,
And for it thou shalt be made a knight."
"Ile shoot my best," quoth Horseley then, 109
"Your honour shall see, with might and maine;
But if I were hanged at your maine-mast,
I have now left but arrowes twaine."

Sir Andrew he did swarve the tree,
With right good will he swarved then,
Upon his breast did Horseley hitt, 115
But the arrow bounded back agen.
Then Horseley spyed a privye place,
With a perfect eye, in a secrette part;
Under the spole of his right arme
He smote Sir Andrew to the heart. 120

"Fight on, my men," Sir Andrew sayes,[L121]
"A little Ime hurt, but yett not slaine;
Ile but lye downe and bleede a while,
And then Ile rise and fight againe.
Fight on, my men," Sir Andrew sayes, 125
"And never flinche before the foe;
And stand fast by St. Andrewes crosse,
Untill you heare my whistle blowe."

They never heard his whistle blow,
Which made their hearts waxe sore adread: 130
Then Horseley sayd, "Aboard, my lord,
For well I wott Sir Andrew's dead."
They boarded then his noble shipp,
They boarded it with might and maine;
Eighteen score Scots alive they found, 135
The rest were either maimed or slaine.

Lord Howard tooke a sword in hand,
And off he smote Sir Andrewes head;
"I must have left England many a daye,
If thou wert alive as thou art dead." 140
He caused his body to be cast
Over the hatchbord into the sea,
And about his middle three hundred crownes:
"Wherever thou land, this will bury thee."

Thus from the warres Lord Howard came, 145
And backe he sayled ore the maine;
With mickle joy and triumphìng
Into Thames mouth he came againe.
Lord Howard then a letter wrote,
And sealed it with seale and ring; 150
"Such a noble prize have I brought to your grace
As never did subject to a king.

"Sir Andrewes shipp I bring with mee,
A braver shipp was never none;
Nowe hath your grace two shipps of warr, 155
Before in England was but one."[L156]
King Henryes grace with royall cheere
Welcomed the noble Howard home;
"And where," said he, "is this rover stout,
That I myselfe may give the doome?" 160

"The rover, he is safe, my leige,
Full many a fadom in the sea;
If he were alive as he is dead,
I must have left England many a day.
And your grace may thank four men i' the ship 165
For the victory wee have wonne;
These are William Horseley, Henry Hunt,
And Peter Simon, and his sonne."

"To Henry Hunt," the king then sayd,
"In lieu of what was from thee tane, 170
A noble a day now thou shalt have,
Sir Andrewes jewels and his chayne.
And Horseley thou shalt be a knight,
And lands and livings shalt have store;
Howard shall be Erle Surrye hight,[L175] 175
As Howards erst have beene before.

"Nowe, Peter Simon, thou art old,
I will maintaine thee and thy sonne;
And the men shall have five hundred markes
For the good service they have done." 180
Then in came the queene with ladyes fair,
To see Sir Andrewe Barton, knight;
They weend that hee were brought on shore,
And thought to have seen a gallant sight.

But when they see his deadlye face, 185
And eyes soe hollow in his head,
"I wold give," quoth the king, "a thousand markes,
This man were alive as hee is dead.
Yett for the manfull part hee playd,
Which fought soe well with heart and hand, 190
His men shall have twelvepence a day,
Till they come to my brother kings high land."

13. i.e. did not salute.

84. pounds. MS.

121-4. This stanza occurs also in _Johnie Armstrang_, vol. vi. p. 44.

156. That is the Great Harry, built in 1504, at an expense of fourteen thousand pounds. "She was," says Hume, "properly speaking, the first ship in the English navy. Before this period, when the prince wanted a fleet, he had no other expedient than hiring or pressing ships from the merchants."

175-6. ... Erle of Nottingham, And soe was never, &c. MS.

FLODDEN FIELD.

From Ritson's _Ancient Songs_, ii. 70.

"The battle of Flodden, in Northumberland, was fought the 9th of September, 1513, being the fifth year of King Henry the Eighth (who, with a great army, was then before Terouen in France), between Thomas Howard, Earl of Surrey, commander-in-chief of the English forces, and James the Fourth, King of Scots, with an inferior army of 15,000 men, who were entirely routed with great slaughter, their heroic sovereign being left dead upon the field.

"The following ballad may possibly be as ancient as any thing we have on the subject. It is given from _The most pleasant and delectible history of John Winchcomb, otherwise called Jack of Newberry_, written by Thomas Deloney, who thus speaks of it: 'In disgrace of the Scots, and in remembrance of the famous atchieved victory, the commons of England made this song, which to this day is not forgotten of many.'"

This ballad is very evidently not the work of Deloney, but derived by him from tradition.

There is a piece called _Flodden Field_ in Herd's _Scottish Songs_, i. 86. It is made up of certain ridiculous anonymous verses, and of the stanzas written by Miss Jane Elliot and by Mrs. Cockburn to the old air _The Flowers of the Forest_,--"I've heard them lilting," and "I've seen the smiling." The first and last lines of the first stanza of Miss Elliot's verses are from an ancient and now forgotten song.

"I've heard them lilting at the ewes milking
.........
.........
The flowers of the forest are a' wede away."

A lady repeated to Sir Walter Scott another fragment of the original ballad.

"I ride single on my saddle,
For the flowers of the forest are a' wede away."

_Minstrelsy_, iii. 333.

King Jamie hath made a vow,
Keep it well if he may!
That he will be at lovely London
Upon Saint James his day.

"Upon Saint James his day at noon, 5
At fair London will I be,
And all the lords in merry Scotland,
They shall dine there with me."

Then bespake good Queen Margaret,
The tears fell from her eye: 10
"Leave off these wars, most noble king,
Keep your fidelity.

"The water runs swift and wondrous deep
From bottom unto the brim;
My brother Henry hath men good enough, 15
England is hard to win."

"Away," quoth he, "with this silly fool!
In prison fast let her lye:
For she is come of the English blood,
And for these words she shall die." 20

With that bespake Lord Thomas Howard,
The Queens chamberlain that day;
"If that you put Queen Margaret to death,
Scotland shall rue it alway."

Then in a rage King Jamie did say, 25
"Away with this foolish mome!
He shall be hang'd, and the other burn'd,
So soon as I come home."

At Flodden-field the Scots came in,
Which made our Englishmen fain; 30
At Bramstone-green this battel was seen,
There was King Jamie slain.

Then presently the Scots did fly,
Their cannons they left behind;
Their ensigns gay were won all away, 35
Our souldiers did beat them blind.

To tell you plain, twelve thousand were slain
That to the fight did stand,
And many a prisoner took that day,
The best in all Scotland. 40

That day made many a fatherless child,[L41]
And many a widow poor,
And many a Scottish gay lady
Sate weeping in her bower.[L44]

Jack with a fether was lapt all in lether, 45
His boastings were all in vain;
He had such a chance with [a] new morrice-dance,
He never went home again.

41-44. This stanza is the sixth in Deloney's copy, and is there clearly misplaced.

44. sweeping.

QUEEN JEANIE.

Jane Seymour, queen of Henry VIII., died shortly after giving birth to Prince Edward (Oct. 1537). There was a report that the Cæsarian operation had been necessary to effect the delivery, and on this story the present ballad is founded.

There is a woful ditty on this subject in _The Crown Garland of Golden Roses_, Percy Society, vol. vi. p. 29 (or _Collection of Old Ballads_, ii. 115). The following piece is popular throughout Scotland. It is taken from Kinloch's _Ancient Scottish Ballads_, p. 116. A fragment had been previously published in Jamieson's _Popular Ballads_, i. 182. We have added another, but imperfect, version from a recent publication.

Queen Jeanie, Queen Jeanie, travel'd six weeks and more,
Till women and midwives had quite gi'en her o'er;
"O if ye were women as women should be,
Ye would send for a doctor, a doctor to me!"

The doctor was called for and set by her bedside, 5
"What aileth thee, my ladie, thine eyes seem so red?"
"O doctor, O doctor, will ye do this for me,
To rip up my two sides, and save my babie?"

"Queen Jeanie, Queen Jeanie, that's the thing I'll ne'er do,
To rip up your two sides to save your babie:" 10
Queen Jeanie, Queen Jeanie, travel'd six weeks and more,
Till midwives and doctors had quite gi'en her o'er.

"O if ye were doctors as doctors should be,
Ye would send for King Henry, King Henry to me:"
King Henry was called for, and sat by her bedside, 15
"What aileth thee, Jeanie, what aileth my bride?"

"King Henry, King Henry, will ye do this for me,
To rip up my two sides, and save my babie?"
"Queen Jeanie, Queen Jeanie, that's what I'll never do,
To rip up your two sides to save your babie." 20

But with sighing and sobbing she's fallen in a swoon,
Her side it was ript up, and her babie was found;
At this bonie babie's christ'ning there was meikle joy and mirth,
But bonnie Queen Jeanie lies cold in the earth.

Six and six coaches, and six and six more, 25
And royal King Henry went mourning before;
O two and two gentlemen carried her away,
But royal King Henry went weeping away.

O black were their stockings, and black were their bands,
And black were the weapons they held in their hands; 30
O black were their mufflers, and black were their shoes,
And black were the cheverons they drew on their luves.

They mourned in the kitchen, and they mourn'd in the ha',
But royal King Henry mourn'd langest of a'.
Farewell to fair England, farewell for evermore, 35
For the fair flower of England will never shine more!

THE DEATH OF QUEEN JANE.

From _Ancient Poems, Ballads, and Songs of the Peasantry of England_, edited by Robert Bell, p. 113. Taken down from the singing of a young gipsy girl.

Queen Jane was in travail for six weeks or more,
Till the women grew tired and fain would give o'er,
"O women, O women, good wives if ye be,
Go send for King Henrie, and bring him to me!"

King Henrie was sent for, he came with all speed, 5
In a gownd of green velvet from heel to the head;
"King Henrie, King Henrie, if kind Henrie you be,
Send for a surgeon, and bring him to me!"

The surgeon was sent for, he came with all speed,
In a gownd of black velvet from heel to the head; 10
He gave her rich caudle, but the death-sleep slept she,
Then her right side was opened, and the babe was set free.

The babe it was christened, and put out and nursed,
While the royal Queen Jane she lay cold in the dust.

* * * * *

So black was the mourning, and white were the wands, 15
Yellow, yellow the torches they bore in their hands;
The bells they were muffled, and mournful did play,
While the royal Queen Jane she lay cold in the clay.

Six knights and six lords bore her corpse through the grounds,
Six dukes followed after, in black mourning gownds, 20
The flower of Old England was laid in cold clay,
Whilst the royal King Henrie came weeping away.

THE MURDER OF THE KING OF SCOTS.

_Reliques of Ancient English Poetry_, ii. 210.

"The catastrophe of Henry Stewart, Lord Darnley, the unfortunate husband of Mary Queen of Scots, is the subject of this ballad. It is here related in that partial imperfect manner, in which such an event would naturally strike the subjects of another kingdom, of which he was a native. Henry appears to have been a vain, capricious, worthless young man, of weak understanding, and dissolute morals. But the beauty of his person, and the inexperience of his youth, would dispose mankind to treat him with an indulgence, which the cruelty of his murder would afterwards convert into the most tender pity and regret: and then imagination would not fail to adorn his memory with all those virtues he ought to have possessed.

"Darnley, who had been born and educated in England, was but in his 21st year when he was murdered, Feb. 9, 1567-8. This crime was perpetrated by the Earl of Bothwell, not out of respect to the memory of Riccio, but in order to pave the way for his own marriage with the queen.

"This ballad (printed, with a few corrections, from the Editor's folio MS.) seems to have been written soon after Mary's escape into England in 1568, see v. 65.--It will be remembered, at v. 5, that this princess was Queen Dowager of France, having been first married to Francis II., who died Dec. 4, 1560."--PERCY.

Woe worth, woe worth thee, false Scotlànde!
For thou hast ever wrought by sleight;
The worthyest prince that ever was borne,
You hanged under a cloud by night.

The Queene of France a letter wrote, 5
And sealed itt with harte and ringe;
And bade him come Scotland within,
And shee wold marry and crowne him kinge.

To be a king is a pleasant thing,
To bee a prince unto a peere: 10
But you have heard, and soe have I too,
A man may well buy gold too deare.

There was an Italyan in that place,
Was as well beloved as ever was hee,
Lord David [Rizzio] was his name, 15
Chamberlaine to the queene was hee.

If the king had risen forth of his place,
He wold have sate him downe in the cheare,
And tho itt beseemed him not so well,
Altho the kinge had beene present there. 20

Some lords in Scotlande waxed wrothe,
And quarrelled with him for the nonce;
I shall you tell how it befell,
Twelve daggers were in him att once.

When the queene saw her chamberlaine was slaine, 25
For him her faire cheeks shee did weete,
And made a vowe, for a yeare and a day
The king and shee wold not come in one sheete.

Then some of the lords they waxed wrothe,
And made their vow all vehementlye, 30
For the death of the queenes chamberlaine,
The king himselfe, how he shall dye.

With gun-powder they strewed his roome,
And layd greene rushes in his way;
For the traitors thought that very night 35
This worthye king for to betray.

To bedd the king he made him bowne;
To take his rest was his desire;
He was noe sooner cast on sleepe,
But his chamber was on a blasing fire. 40

Up he lope, and the window brake,
And hee had thirtye foote to fall;
Lord Bodwell kept a privy watch,
Underneath his castle wall.

"Who have wee here?" Lord Bodwell sayd; 45
"Now answer me, that I may know."
"King Henry the eighth my uncle was;
For his sweete sake some pitty show."

"Who have we here?" Lord Bodwell sayd;
"Now answer me when I doe speake." 50
"Ah, Lord Bodwell, I know thee well;
Some pitty on me I pray thee take."

"Ile pitty thee as much," he sayd,
"And as much favor show to thee,
As thou didst to the queenes chamberlaine, 55
That day thou deemedst him to die."

Through halls and towers the king they ledd,
Through towers and castles that were nye,
Through an arbor into an orchàrd,
There on a peare-tree hanged him hye. 60

When the governor of Scotland heard
How that the worthye king was slaine,
He persued the queen so bitterlye,
That in Scotland shee dare not remaine.

But shee is fledd into merry England, 65
And here her residence hath taine,
And through the Queene of Englands grace,
In England now shee doth remaine.

THE RISING IN THE NORTH.

Percy's _Reliques_, i. 285.

The subject of this ballad is the insurrection of the Earls of Northumberland and Westmoreland, in the twelfth year of Queen Elizabeth, 1569.

These two noblemen were the leaders of the Catholic party in the North of England, and interested themselves warmly in various projects to restore Mary Stuart to her liberty. When a marriage was proposed between the Duke of Norfolk and the Scottish Queen, they, with many of the first persons in the kingdom, entered zealously into the scheme, having the ulterior view, according to Hume, of placing Mary on the throne of England. Norfolk endeavored to conceal his plans from Elizabeth, until he should form a combination powerful enough to extort her consent, but the Queen received information betimes, and committed the Duke to the Tower. Several of his abettors were also taken into custody, and the two Northern Earls were summoned to appear at court, to answer to the charge of an intended rebellion. They had proceeded too far to trust themselves willingly in the hands of their enraged sovereign, and the summons precipitated them into an insurrection for which they were not prepared. They hastily gathered their followers, and published a manifesto, in which they declared that they maintained an unshaken allegiance to the Queen, and sought only to reëstablish the religion of their ancestors, and to restore the Duke of Norfolk to liberty and to the Queen's favor.

"Their common banner (on which was displayed the cross, together with the five wounds of Christ,) was borne by an ancient gentleman, Richard Norton, Esq., of Norton-Conyers: who with his sons (among whom, Christopher, Marmaduke, and Thomas, are expressly named by Camden) distinguished himself on this occasion. Having entered Durham, they tore the Bible, &c, and caused mass to be said there: they then marched on to Clifford Moor near Wetherbye, where they mustered their men. Their intention was to have proceeded on to York; but, altering their minds, they fell upon Barnard's castle, which Sir George Bowes held out against them for eleven days."--PERCY.

The insurgents' army amounted to about six thousand men. The Earl of Sussex, supported by Lord Hunsdon and others, marched against them with seven thousand, and the Earl of Warwick with still greater forces. Before these superior numbers the rebels dispersed without striking a blow. Northumberland fled to the Scots, by whom, as we shall see in the next ballad, he was betrayed to Elizabeth. The Earl of Westmoreland escaped to Flanders, and died there in penury.

Another outbreak following close upon the above was suppressed by Lord Hunsdon. Great cruelties were exercised by the victorious party, no less than eight hundred having, it is said, suffered by the hands of the executioner.

The ballad was printed by Percy from two MS. copies, one of them in the editor's folio collection. "They contained considerable variations, out of which such readings were chosen as seemed most poetical and consonant to history."

"The Fate of the Nortons," we need hardly say, forms the subject of Wordsworth's _White Doe of Rylstone_.

Listen, lively lordlings all,
Lithe and listen unto mee,
And I will sing of a noble earle,
The noblest earle in the north countrìe.

Earle Percy is into his garden gone, 5
And after him walkes his faire ladìe:
"I heard a bird sing in mine eare,
That I must either fight or flee."

"Now heaven forefend, my dearest lord,
That ever such harm should hap to thee; 10
But goe to London to the court,
And faire fall truth and honestìe."

"Now nay, now nay, my ladye gay,
Alas! thy counsell suits not mee;
Mine enemies prevail so fast, 15
That at the court I may not bee."

"O goe to the court yet, good my lord,
And take thy gallant men with thee;
If any dare to doe you wrong,
Then your warrant they may bee." 20

"Now nay, now nay, thou lady faire,
The court is full of subtiltie;
And if I goe to the court, lady,
Never more I may thee see."

"Yet goe to the court, my lord," she sayes, 25
"And I myselfe will ride wi' thee:
At court then for my dearest lord,
His faithfull borrowe I will bee."

Now nay, now nay, my lady deare;
Far lever had I lose my life, 30
Than leave among my cruell foes
My love in jeopardy and strife.

"But come thou hither, my little foot-page,
Come thou hither unto mee;
To maister Norton thou must goe 35
In all the haste that ever may bee.

"Commend me to that gentleman,
And beare this letter here fro mee;
And say that earnestly I praye,
He will ryde in my companie." 40

One while the little foot-page went,
And another while he ran;
Untill he came to his journeys end
The little foot-page never blan.

When to that gentleman he came, 45
Down he kneeled on his knee,
And tooke the letter betwixt his hands,
And lett the gentleman it see.

And when the letter it was redd
Affore that goodlye companye, 50
I-wis, if you the truthe wold know,
There was many a weepynge eye.

He sayd, "Come hither, Christopher Norton,
A gallant youth thou seemst to bee;
What doest thou counsell me, my sonne,
Now that good erle's in jeopardy?" 55

"Father, my counselle's fair and free;
That erle he is a noble lord,
And whatsoever to him you hight,
I wold not have you breake your word." 60

"Gramercy, Christopher, my sonne,
Thy counsell well it liketh mee,
And if we speed and scape with life,
Well advanced shalt thou bee."

"Come you hither, mine nine good sonnes,[L65] 65
Gallant men I trowe you bee:
How many of you, my children deare,
Will stand by that good erle and mee?"

Eight of them did answer make,
Eight of them spake hastilie, 70
"O father, till the daye we dye
We'll stand by that good erle and thee."

"Gramercy now, my children deare,
You showe yourselves right bold and brave;
And whethersoe'er I live or dye, 75
A fathers blessing you shal have."

"But what sayst thou, O Francis Norton?
Thou art mine oldest sonn and heire;
Somewhat lyes brooding in thy breast;
Whatever it bee, to mee declare." 80

"Father, you are an aged man;
Your head is white, your bearde is gray;
It were a shame at these your yeares
For you to ryse in such a fray."

"Now fye upon thee, coward Francis, 85
Thou never learnedst this of mee;
When thou wert yong and tender of age,
Why did I make soe much of thee?"

"But, father, I will wend with you,
Unarm'd and naked will I bee; 90
And he that strikes against the crowne,
Ever an ill death may he dee."

Then rose that reverend gentleman,
And with him came a goodlye band,
To join with the brave Erle Percy, 95
And all the flower o' Northumberland.

With them the noble Nevill came,
The erle of Westmorland was hee:
At Wetherbye they mustred their host,
Thirteen thousand faire to see. 100

Lord Westmorland his ancyent raisde,
The Dun Bull he rays'd on hye,[L102]
And three Dogs with golden collars
Were there sett out most royallye.

Erie Percy there his ancyent spred, 105
The Halfe-Moone shining all soe faire:[L106]
The Nortons ancyent had the crosse,
And the five wounds our Lord did beare.

Then Sir George Bowes he straitwaye rose,
After them some spoyle to make; 110
Those noble erles turn'd backe againe,
And aye they vowed that knight to take.

That baron he to his castle fled
To Barnard castle then fled hee;
The uttermost walles were eathe to win, 115
The earles have won them presentlìe.

The uttermost walles were lime and bricke,
But thoughe they won them soon anone,
Long e'er they wan the innermost walles,
For they were cut in rocke of stone. 120

Then newes unto leeve London came,
In all the speede that ever might bee,
And word is brought to our royall queene
Of the rysing in the North countrie.

Her grace she turned her round about, 125
And like a royall queene shee swore,
"I will ordayne them such a breakfast,
As never was in the North before."

Shee caus'd thirty thousand men be rays'd,
With horse and harneis faire to see; 130
She caused thirty thousand men be raised,
To take the earles i' th' North countrie.

Wi' them the false Erle Warwick went,
Th' Erle Sussex and the Lord Hunsden;
Untill they to Yorke castle came,
I-wiss they never stint ne blan. 135

Now spred thy ancyent, Westmorland,
Thy dun bull faine would we spye:
And thou, the Erle o' Northumberland,
Now rayse thy half moone up on hye. 140

But the dun bulle is fled and gone,
And the halfe moone vanished away:
The erles, though they were brave and bold,
Against soe many could not stay.

Thee, Norton, wi' thine eight good sonnes, 145
They doom'd to dye, alas for ruth!
Thy reverend lockes thee could not save,
Nor them their faire and blooming youthe.

Wi' them full many a gallant wight
They cruellye bereav'd of life: 150
And many a childe made fatherlesse,
And widowed many a tender wife.

65. The Act of Attainder, 13th Elizabeth, only mentions Richard Norton, the father, and _seven_ sons, and in "a list of the rebels in the late Northern rebellion that are fled beyond seas," the same seven sons are named. Richard Norton, the father, was living long after the rebellion in Spanish Flanders. See Sharp's _Bishoprick Garland_, p. 10.

102. The supporters of the Nevilles Earls of Westmoreland were two bulls argent, ducally collar'd gold, armed or, &c. But I have not discovered the device mentioned in the ballad, among the badges, &c., given by that house. This however is certain, that, among those of the Nevilles, Lord Abergavenny (who were of the same family), is a dun cow with a golden collar; and the Nevilles of Chyte in Yorkshire (of the Westmoreland branch), gave for their crest, in 1513, a dog's (greyhound's) head erased.--So that it is not improbable but Charles Neville, the unhappy Earl of Westmoreland here mentioned, might on this occasion give the above device on his banner.--After all, our old minstrel's verses here may have undergone some corruption; for, in another ballad in the same folio MS., and apparently written by the same hand, containing the sequel of this Lord Westmoreland's history, his banner is thus described, more conformable to his known bearings:

"_Sett me up my faire Dun Bull,
With Gilden Hornes, hee beares all soe hye_."--P.

106. The Silver Crescent is a well-known crest or badge of the Northumberland family. It was probably brought home from some of the crusades against the Sarazens.--P.

NORTHUMBERLAND BETRAYED BY DOUGLAS.

Percy's _Reliques_, i. 295.

The Earls of Northumberland and Westmoreland, after the dispersion of their forces took refuge with the Scots on the Borders. The Elliots drove them from Liddesdale, and they sought the protection of the Armstrongs in the Debatable Land. Northumberland took up his residence with a man of that tribe called Hector of Harlaw, relying on his plighted faith and on his gratitude for many past favors. By this miscreant the Earl was betrayed for money to the Regent Murray. He was confined in Lochleven Castle until 1572, when he was handed over to Lord Hunsden, and executed at York.

We are assured that this Hector, who had been rich, fell into poverty after his treachery, and became so infamous that "to take Hector's cloak" was a proverb for a man who betrayed his friend.

In Pinkerton's _Poems from the Maitland MS_. (pp. 219-234) are three bitter invectives on this subject. In one of these we are told that the traitor Eckie of Harlaw said he sold the Earl "to redeem his pledge," that is, says Scott, the pledge which had been exacted from him for his peaceable demeanor.

"The interposal of the Witch-Lady (v. 53)" hath some countenance from history; for, about twenty-five years before, the Lady Jane Douglas, Lady Glamis, sister of the Earl of Angus, and nearly related to Douglas of Lough-leven, had suffered death for the pretended crime of witchcraft; who, it is presumed, is the witch-lady alluded to in verse 133.

"The following is selected (like the former) from two copies, which contained great variations; one of them in the Editor's folio MS. In the other copy some of the stanzas at the beginning of this ballad are nearly the same with what in that MS. are made to begin another ballad on the escape of the Earl of Westmoreland, who got safe into Flanders, and is feigned in the ballad to have undergone a great variety of adventures."--PERCY.

"How long shall fortune faile me nowe,
And harrowe me with fear and dread?
How long shall I in bale abide,
In misery my life to lead?

"To fall from my bliss, alas the while! 5
It was my sore and heavye lott;
And I must leave my native land,
And I must live a man forgot.

"One gentle Armstrong I doe ken,
A Scot he is, much bound to mee; 10
He dwelleth on the Border side,
To him I'll goe right privilie."

Thus did the noble Percy 'plaine,
With a heavy heart and wel-away,
When he with all his gallant men 15
On Bramham moor had lost the day.

But when he to the Armstrongs came,
They dealt with him all treacherouslye;
For they did strip that noble earle,
And ever an ill death may they dye! 20

False Hector to Earl Murray sent,
To shew him where his guest did hide,
Who sent him to the Lough-levèn,
With William Douglas to abide.

And when he to the Douglas came, 25
He halched him right courteouslie;
Say'd, "Welcome, welcome, noble earle,
Here thou shalt safelye bide with mee."

When he had in Lough-leven been
Many a month and many a day, 30
To the regent the lord warden sent,
That bannisht earle for to betray.

He offered him great store of gold,
And wrote a letter fair to see,
Saying, "Good my lord, grant me my boon, 35
And yield that banisht man to mee."

Earle Percy at the supper sate,
With many a goodly gentleman;
The wylie Douglas then bespake,
And thus to flyte with him began. 40

"What makes you be so sad, my lord,
And in your mind so sorrowfullye?
To-morrow a shootinge will bee held
Among the lords of the North countrye.

"The butts are sett, the shooting's made, 45
And there will be great royaltye;
And I am sworne into my bille,
Thither to bring my Lord Percye."

"I'll give thee my hand, thou gentle Douglas,
And here by my true faith," quoth hee, 50
"If thou wilt ryde to the worldes end
I will ryde in thy companye."

And then bespake a lady faire,
Mary à Douglas was her name;
"You shall byde here, good English lord, 55
My brother is a traiterous man.

"He is a traitor stout and stronge,
As I tell you in privitie;
For he hath tane liverance of the erle,[L59]
Into England nowe to 'liver thee." 60

"Now nay, now nay, thou goodly lady,
The regent is a noble lord:
Ne for the gold in all Englànd
The Douglas wold not break his word.

"When the regent was a banisht man, 65
With me he did faire welcome find;
And whether weal or woe betide,
I still shall find him true and kind.

"Between England and Scotland it wold breake truce,
And friends againe they wold never bee, 70
If they shold 'liver a banisht erle,
Was driven out of his own countrie."

"Alas! alas! my lord," she sayes,
"Nowe mickle is their traitorie;
Then lett my brother ryde his wayes, 75
And tell those English lords from thee,

"How that you cannot with him ryde,
Because you are in an ile of the sea,[L78]
Then ere my brother come againe,
To Edenborow castle Ile carry thee. 80

"To the Lord Hume I will thee bring;
He is well knowne a true Scots lord,
And he will lose both land and life,
Ere he with thee will break his word."

"Much is my woe," Lord Percy sayd, 85
"When I thinke on my own countrìe,
When I thinke on the heavye happe
My friends have suffered there for mee.

"Much is my woe," Lord Percy sayd,
"And sore those wars my minde distresse; 90
Where many a widow lost her mate,
And many a child was fatherlesse.

"And now that I a banisht man
Shold bring such evil happe with mee,
To cause my faire and noble friends 95
To be suspect of treacherie,

"This rives my heart with double woe;
And lever had I dye this day,
Than thinke a Douglas can be false,
Or ever he will his guest betray." 100

"If you'll give me no trust, my lord,
Nor unto mee no credence yield,
Yet step one moment here aside,
Ile showe you all your foes in field."

"Lady, I never loved witchcraft, 105
Never dealt in privy wyle;
But evermore held the high-waye
Of truth and honour, free from guile."

"If you'll not come yourselfe, my lorde,
Yet send your chamberlaine with mee, 110
Let me but speak three words with him,
And he shall come again to thee."

James Swynard with that lady went,
She showed him through the weme of her ring
How many English lords there were 115
Waiting for his master and him.

"And who walkes yonder, my good lady,
So royallye on yonder greene?"
"O yonder is the Lord Hunsden:[L119]
Alas! he'll doe you drie and teene." 120

"And who beth yonder, thou gay ladye,
That walkes so proudly him beside?"
"That is Sir William Drury," shee sayd,[L123]
"A keene captaine hee is and tryde."

"How many miles is itt, madàme, 125
Betwixt yond English lords and mee?"
"Marry, it is thrice fifty miles,
To saile to them upon the sea.

"I never was on English ground,
Ne never sawe it with mine eye, 130
But as my book it sheweth mee,
And through my ring I may descrye.

"My mother shee was a witch ladye,
And of her skille she learned mee;
She wold let me see out of Lough-leven 135
What they did in London citìe."

"But who is yond, thou lady faire,
That looketh with sic an austerne face?"
"Yonder is Sir John Foster," quoth shee,[L139]
"Alas! he'll do ye sore disgrace." 140

He pulled his hatt downe over his browe;
He wept, in his heart he was full of woe;
And he is gone to his noble lord,
Those sorrowful tidings him to show.

"Now nay, now nay, good James Swynàrd, 145
I may not believe that witch ladìe;
The Douglasses were ever true,
And they can ne'er prove false to mee.

"I have now in Lough-leven been
The most part of these years three, 150
Yett have I never had noe outrake,
Ne no good games that I cold see.

"Therefore I'll to yond shooting wend,
As to the Douglas I have hight:
Betide me weale, betide me woe, 155
He ne'er shall find my promise light."

He writhe a gold ring from his finger,
And gave itt to that gay ladìe:
Sayes, "It was all that I cold save,
In Harley woods where I cold bee." 160

"And wilt thou goe, thou noble lord?
Then farewell truth and honestìe,
And farewell heart, and farewell hand,
For never more I shall thee see."

The wind was faire, the boatmen call'd, 165
And all the saylors were on borde;
Then William Douglas took to his boat,
And with him went that noble lord.

Then he cast up a silver wand,
Says, "Gentle lady, fare thee well!" 170
The lady fett a sigh soe deep,
And in a dead swoone down shee fell.

"Now let us goe back, Douglas," he sayd,
"A sickness hath taken yond faire ladìe;
If ought befall yond lady but good, 175
Then blamed for ever I shall bee."

"Come on, come on, my lord," he sayes,
"Come on, come on, and let her bee;
There's ladyes enow in Lough-leven
For to cheere that gay ladìe." 180

"If you'll not turne yourself, my lord,
Let me goe with my chamberlaine;
We will but comfort that faire lady,
And wee will return to you againe."

"Come on, come on, my lord," he sayes, 185
"Come on, come on, and let her bee;
My sister is craftye, and wold beguile
A thousand such as you and mee."

"When they had sayled fifty myle,
Now fifty mile upon the sea, 190
Hee sent his man to ask the Douglas,
When they shold that shooting see."

"Faire words," quoth he, "they make fooles faine,
And that by thee and thy lord is seen;
You may hap to thinke itt soone enough, 195
Ere you that shooting reach, I ween."

Jamye his hatt pulled over his browe,
He thought his lord then was betray'd;
And he is to Erle Percy againe,
To tell him what the Douglas sayd. 200

"Hold upp thy head, man," quoth his lord,
"Nor therefore lett thy courage fayle;
He did it but to prove thy heart,
To see if he cold make it quail."

When they had other fifty sayld, 205
Other fifty mile upon the sea,
Lord Percy called to Douglas himselfe,
Sayd, "What wilt thou nowe doe with mee?"

"Looke that your brydle be wight, my lord,
And your horse goe swift as shipp att sea; 210
Looke that your spurres be bright and sharpe,
That you may pricke her while shee'll away."

"What needeth this, Douglas?" he sayth;
"What needest thou to flyte with mee?
For I was counted a horseman good 215
Before that ever I mett with thee.

"A false Hector hath my horse,
Who dealt with mee so treacherouslìe;
A false Armstrong hath my spurres,
And all the geere belongs to mee." 220

When they had sayled other fifty mile,
Other fifty mile upon the sea,
They landed low by Berwicke side,
A deputed laird landed Lord Percye.[L224]

Then he at Yorke was doomde to die, 225
It was, alas! a sorrowful sight;
Thus they betrayed that noble earle,
Who ever was a gallant wight.

59. Of the Earl of Morton, the Regent.--P.

78. i. e. Lake of Leven, which hath communication with the sea. Edinburgh was at that time in the hands of the opposite faction.--P.

119. The Lord Warden of the East Marches.--P.

123. Governor of Berwick.--P.

139. Warden of the Middle-march.--P.

224. fol. MS. reads _land_, and has not the following stanza.

KING OF SCOTS AND ANDREW BROWNE.

From _Reliques of English Poetry_, ii. 217.