Chapter VIII: Book I (1)

I never heard the olde song of Percy and Duglas, that I found not
my heart mooved more then with a trumpet: and yet is it sung but
by some blinde crouder, with no rougher voyce, then rude stile;
which being so evill apparelled in the dust and cobwebbes of
that uncivill age, what would it worke, trymmed in the gorgeous
eloquence of Pindar!--_Sir Philip Sidney's Apologie for Poetrie_,
1595.

I.

THE ANCIENT BALLAD OF CHEVY CHASE.

The fine heroic song of _Chevy-Chase_ has ever been admired by competent judges. Those genuine strokes of nature and artless passion, which have endeared it to the most simple readers, have recommended it to the most refined; and it has equally been the amusement of our childhood, and the favourite of our riper years.

Mr. Addison has given an excellent critique[71] on this very popular ballad, but is mistaken with regard to the antiquity of the common-received copy; for this, if one may judge from the style, cannot be older than the time of Elizabeth, and was probably written after the elogium of Sir Philip Sidney: perhaps in consequence of it. I flatter myself, I have here recovered the genuine antique poem; the true original song, which appeared rude even in the time of Sir Philip, and caused him to lament, that it was so evil-apparelled in the rugged garb of antiquity.

This curiosity is printed, from an old manuscript,[72] at the end of Hearne's preface to Gul. Newbrigiensis _Hist._ 1719, 8vo. vol. i. To the MS. copy is subjoined the name of the author, Rychard Sheale;[73] whom Hearne had so little judgement as to suppose to be the same with a R. Sheale, who was living in 1588. But whoever examines the gradation of language and idiom in the following volumes, will be convinced that this is the production of an earlier poet. It is indeed expressly mentioned among some very ancient songs in an old book intituled, _The Complaint of Scotland_[74] (fol. 42), under the title of the _Huntis of Chevet_, where the two following lines are also quoted:--

"The Perssee and the Mongumrye mette,[75]
That day, that day, that gentil day:"[76]

which, tho' not quite the same as they stand in the ballad, yet differ not more than might be owing to the author's quoting from memory. Indeed whoever considers the style and orthography of this old poem will not be inclined to place it lower than the time of Henry VI.: as on the other hand the mention of James the Scottish King,[77] with one or two anachronisms, forbids us to assign it an earlier date. King James I. who was prisoner in this kingdom at the death of his father,[78] did not wear the crown of Scotland till the second year of our Henry VI.,[79] but before the end of that long reign a third James had mounted the throne.[80] A succession of two or three Jameses, and the long detention of one of them in England, would render the name familiar to the English, and dispose a poet in those rude times to give it to any Scottish king he happened to mention.

So much for the date of this old ballad: with regard to its subject, altho' it has no countenance from history, there is room to think it had originally some foundation in fact. It was one of the Laws of the Marches frequently renewed between the two nations, that neither party should hunt in the other's borders, without leave from the proprietors or their deputies.[81] There had long been a rivalship between the two martial families of Percy and Douglas, which heightened by the national quarrel, must have produced frequent challenges and struggles for superiority, petty invasions of their respective domains, and sharp contests for the point of honour; which would not always be recorded in history. Something of this kind, we may suppose, gave rise to the ancient ballad of the _Hunting a' the Cheviat_.[82] Percy earl of Northumberland had vowed to hunt for three days in the Scottish border without condescending to ask leave from earl Douglas, who was either lord of the soil, or lord warden of the marches. Douglas would not fail to resent the insult, and endeavour to repel the intruders by force; this would naturally produce a sharp conflict between the two parties: something of which, it is probable, did really happen, tho' not attended with the tragical circumstances recorded in the ballad: for these are evidently borrowed from the _Battle of Otterbourn_,[83] a very different event, but which after-times would easily confound with it. That battle might be owing to some such previous affront as this of Chevy Chase, though it has escaped the notice of historians. Our poet has evidently jumbled the two subjects together: if indeed the lines,[84] in which this mistake is made, are not rather spurious, and the after-insertion of some person, who did not distinguish between the two stories.

Hearne has printed this ballad without any division of stanzas, in long lines, as he found it in the old written copy; but it is usual to find the distinction of stanzas neglected in ancient MSS.; where, to save room, two or three verses are frequently given in one line undivided. See flagrant instances in the _Harleian Catalogue_, No. 2253, s. 29, 34, 61, 70, _et passim_.

* * * * *

[Bishop Percy did well to open his book with _Chevy Chase_ and the
_Battle of Otterburn_, as these two are by far the most remarkable
of the old historical ballads still left to us, and all Englishmen
must feel peculiar interest in _Chevy Chase_, as it is one of the
few northern ballads that are the exclusive growth of the south
side of the Border. The partizanship of the Englishman is very
amusingly brought out in verses 145-154, where we learn that the
Scotch king had no captain in his realm equal to the dead Douglas,
but that the English king had a hundred captains as good as Percy.
A ballad which stirred the soul of Sidney and caused Ben Jonson to
wish that he had been the author of it rather than of all his own
works cannot but be dear to all readers of taste and feeling. The
old version is so far superior to the modern one (see Book iii.
No. 1) that it must ever be a source of regret that Addison, who
elegantly analyzed the modern version, did not know of the original.

It will be well to arrange under three heads the subjects on which
a few words require to be added to Percy's preface, viz. 1. the
title, 2. the occasion, 3. the author. 1. In the old version the
title given in the ballad itself is _the hunting of the Cheviat_,
and in the _Complaynt of Scotlande_ it is referred to as _The
Huntis of Chevot_. The title of the modern version is changed
to _Chevy Chase_, which Dr. E. B. Nicholson has suggested to
be derived from the old French word _chevauchée_, a foray or
expedition (see _Notes and Queries_, 3rd series, vol. xii. p. 124);
but this explanation is not needed, as the original of the modern
title is found in ver. 62 as _Chyviat Chays_, which naturally
became contracted into _Chevy Chase_, as _Teviotdale_ into
_Tevidale_ (ver. 50).

2. The ballad is so completely unhistorical that it is difficult
to give any opinion as to the occasion to which it refers, but
apparently it was written, as Bishop Percy remarks, to commemorate
a defiant expedition of one of the Lords of the Marches upon the
domain of another, but that the names of Percy and Douglas led the
writer into a confusion with the battle of Otterburn, which was
fresh in the people's memory owing to the ballad of the _Battle_
_of Otterburn_. In fact Professor Child throws out the hint that
possibly Sidney referred to the _Battle of Otterburn_ and not to
the _Hunting of the Cheviat_, as he only mentions the old song
of _Percie and Douglas_, but it has so long been believed that
Sidney spoke of _Chevy Chase_ that we should be sorry to think
otherwise now. In the note immediately following the modern version
(see Book iii. No. 1.) Bishop Percy suggests the possibility that
the ballad may refer to the battle of Pepperden fought in 1436, but
this view is highly improbable for the following reason. In both
the ancient and modern versions the battle of Humbledown is alluded
to as a future event caused by the death of Percy at Chevy Chase.
Now as Humbledown was fought in the year 1402, and as the battle
of Otterburn was the only conflict of importance on the Borders
which preceded it, and as, moreover, Otterburn is mentioned in the
ballad, there cannot well be any reference to a battle fought so
many years afterwards.

3. Bishop Percy is unnecessarily severe in his remark upon Hearne,
as that learned antiquary was probably correct in identifying the
Richard Sheale of the old ballad with Richard Sheale the minstrel.
Whether, however, the latter was the author, as is argued by C.
in Brydges' _British Bibliographer_ (vol. 4, pp. 95-105), is
another matter. The other examples of the minstrel's muse are so
inferior to this ballad that it is impossible to believe him to be
the author. Doubtless it was recited by him, and being associated
with his name the transcriber may naturally have supposed him to
be its maker. Sheale really flourished (or withered, as Mr. Hales
has it) at a rather earlier period than the date 1588 mentioned by
Percy would lead us to imagine, for he appears to have been writing
before 1560, nevertheless the language is of a much earlier date
than this, and, moreover, a ballad of the Borders is not likely to
have been invented at Tamworth, where Sheale lived.

_Chevy Chase_ was long a highly popular song, and Bishop Corbet,
in his _Journey into France_, speaks of having sung it in his
youth. The antiquated beau in Davenant's play of the _Wits_ also
prides himself on being able to sing it, and in _Wit's Intepreter_,
1671, a man when enumerating the good qualities of his wife, cites
after the beauties of her mind and her patience "her curious voice
wherewith she useth to sing _Chevy Chace_." Many other ballads
were sung to the same tune, so that we are not always sure as to
whether the original is referred to or some more modern song. The
philosopher Locke, when Secretary to the Embassy sent by Charles
II. to the Elector of Brandenburg, wrote home a description of the
Brandenburg church singing, in which he says, "He that could not
though he had a cold make better music with a chevy chace over a
pot of smooth ale, deserved well to pay the reckoning and to go
away athirst."[85] The writer here probably referred to any song
sung to this tune.]

* * * * *

THE FIRST FIT.[86]

The Persé owt of Northombarlande.
And a vowe[87] to God mayd he,
That he wolde hunte in the mountayns
Off Chyviat within dayes thre,
In the mauger[88] of doughtè Dogles,[89] 5
And all that ever with him be.

The fattiste hartes in all Cheviat
He sayd he wold kill, and cary them away:
Be my feth, sayd the dougheti Doglas agayn,
I wyll let[90] that hontyng yf that I may. 10

Then the Persé owt of Banborowe cam,[91]
With him a myghtye meany;[92]
With fifteen hondrith archares bold;[93]
The wear chosen out of shyars thre.[94]

This begane on a monday at morn 15
In Cheviat the hillys so he;[95]
The chyld may rue that ys un-born,
It was the mor pitté.

The dryvars thorowe the woodes went[96]
For to reas[97] the dear; 20
Bomen bickarte uppone the bent[98]
With ther browd aras[99] cleare.

Then the wyld[100] thorowe the woodes went
On every syde shear;[101]
Grea-hondes thorowe the greves glent[102] 25
For to kyll thear dear.

The begane in Chyviat the hyls abone[103]
Yerly[104] on a monnyn-day;[105]
Be[106] that it drewe to the oware off none[107]
A hondrith fat hartes ded ther lay. 30

The blewe a mort uppone the bent,[108][109]
The semblyd on sydis shear;[110]
To the quyrry[111] then the Persè went
To se the bryttlynge[112] off the deare.

He sayd, It was the Duglas promys 35
This day to meet me hear;
But I wyste he wold faylle verament:[113]
A gret oth the Persè swear.

At the laste a squyar of Northombelonde
Lokyde at his hand full ny, 40
He was war ath[114] the doughetie Doglas comynge:
With him a myghtè meany,[115]

Both with spear, 'byll,' and brande:[116][117]
Yt was a myghti sight to se.
Hardyar men both off hart nar hande 45
Wear not in Christiantè.

The wear twenty hondrith spear-men good
Withouten any fayle;[118]
The wear borne a-long be the watter a Twyde,
Yth[119] bowndes of Tividale. 50

Leave off the brytlyng of the dear, he sayde,
And to your bowys look ye tayk good heed;[120]
For never sithe[121] ye wear on your mothars borne
Had ye never so mickle need.[122]

The dougheti Dogglas on a stede 55
He rode all his men beforne;[123]
His armor glytteryde as dyd a glede;[124]
A bolder barne[125] was never born.

Tell me 'what' men ye ar, he says,[126]
Or whos men that ye be: 60
Who gave youe leave to hunte in this
Chyviat chays in the spyt of me?

The first mane that ever him an answear mayd,
Yt was the good lord Persè:
We wyll not tell the 'what' men we ar, he says,[127] 65
Nor whos men that we be;
But we wyll hount hear in this chays
In the spyte of thyne, and of the.

The fattiste hartes in all Chyviat
We have kyld, and cast[128] to carry them a-way. 70
Be my troth, sayd the doughtè Dogglas agayn,[129]
Ther-for the ton[130] of us shall de this day.

Then sayd the doughtè Doglas
Unto the lord Persè:
To kyll all thes giltless men, 75
A-las! it wear great pittè.

But, Persè, thowe art a lord of lande,
I am a yerle[131] callyd within my contre;
Let all our men uppone a parti[132] stande;
And do the battell off the and of me. 80

Nowe Cristes cors[133] on his crowne,[134] sayd the lord Persè.[135]
Who-soever ther-to says nay.
Be my troth, doughtè Doglas, he says,
Thow shalt never se that day;

Nethar in Ynglonde, Skottlonde, nar France, 85
Nor for no man of a woman born,
But and[136] fortune be my chance,
I dar met him on man for on.[137][138]

Then bespayke a squyar off Northombarlonde,
Ric. Wytharynton[139] was his nam; 90
It shall never be told in Sothe-Ynglonde, he says,
To kyng Herry the fourth for sham.

I wat[140] youe byn great lordes twaw,[141]
I am a poor squyar of lande;
I wyll never se my captayne fyght on a fylde, 95
And stande my-selffe, and looke on,
But whyll I may my weppone welde,
I wyll not 'fayl' both harte and hande.

That day, that day, that dredfull day:
The first Fit[142] here I fynde. 100
And youe[143] wyll here any mor athe hountyng a the Chyviat,
Yet ys ther mor behynde.

THE SECOND FIT.

The Yngglishe men hade ther bowys yebent,
Ther hartes were good yenoughe;
The first of arros that the shote off,[144]
Seven skore spear-men the sloughe.[145]

Yet bydys[146] the yerle Doglas uppon the bent,[147] 5
A captayne good yenoughe,
And that was sene verament,
For he wrought hom both woo and wouche.[148]

The Dogglas pertyd his ost in thre,
Lyk a cheffe cheften off pryde, 10
With suar[149] speares off myghttè tre
The cum[150] in on every syde.

Thrughe our Yngglishe archery
Gave many a wounde full wyde;
Many a doughete the garde to dy,[151] 15
Which ganyde them no pryde.

The Yngglishe men let thear bowys be,[152]
And pulde owt brandes that wer bright;[153]
It was a hevy syght to se
Bryght swordes on basnites[154] lyght. 20

Thorowe ryche male, and myne-ye-ple[155][156]
Many sterne[157] the stroke downe streght:[158]
Many a freyke,[159] that was full free,
Ther undar foot dyd lyght.

At last the Duglas and the Persè met, 25
Lyk to captayns of myght and mayne;[160]
The swapte[161] togethar tyll the both swat[162]
With swordes, that wear of fyn myllàn.[163]

Thes worthè freckys[164] for to fyght
Ther-to the wear full fayne, 30
Tyll the bloode owte off thear basnetes sprente,[165]
As ever dyd heal or rayne.[166]

Holde the, Persè, sayd the Doglas,[167]
And i' feth I shall the brynge
Wher thowe shalte have a yerls wagis 35
Of Jamy our Scottish kynge.

Thoue shalte have thy ransom fre,
I hight[168] the hear this thinge,
For the manfullyste man yet art thowe,
That ever I conqueryd in filde fightyng. 40

Nay 'then' sayd the lord Persè,
I tolde it the beforne,
That I wolde never yeldyde be
To no man of a woman born.

With that ther cam an arrowe hastely 45
Forthe off a mightie wane,[169]
Hit hathe strekene the yerle Duglas
In at the brest bane.

Thoroue lyvar and longs bathe[170]
The sharp arrowe ys gane, 50
That never after in all his lyffe days,
He spayke mo wordes but ane,
That was,[171] Fyghte ye, my merry men, whyllys ye may,
For my lyff days ben gan.

The Persè leanyde on his brande, 55
And sawe the Duglas de;
He tooke the dede man be the hande,
And sayd, Wo ys me for the!

To have savyde thy lyffe I wold have pertyd with
My landes for years thre, 60
For a better man of hart, nare of hande
Was not in all the north countrè.

Off all that se a Skottishe knyght,
Was callyd Sir Hewe the Mongon-byrry,
He sawe the Duglas to the deth was dyght[172]; 65
He spendyd[173] a spear a trusti tre:

He rod uppon a corsiare[174]
Throughe a hondrith archery;
He never styntyde, nar never blane,[175]
Tyll he came to the good lord Persè. 70

He set uppone the lord Persè
A dynte,[176] that was full soare;
With a suar spear of a myghtè tre
Clean thorow the body he the Persè bore,[177]

Athe tothar syde, that a man myght se, 75
A large cloth yard and mare:
Towe bettar captayns wear nat in Christiantè,
Then that day slain wear ther.

An archar off Northomberlonde
Say slean was the lord Persè,[178] 80
He bar a bende-bow in his hande,
Was made off trusti tre:

An arow, that a cloth yarde was lang,
To th' hard stele halyde he;[179]
A dynt, that was both sad and soar, 85
He sat on Sir Hewe the Mongon-byrry.

The dynt yt was both sad and sar,[180][181]
That he of Mongon-byrry sete;
The swane-fethars, that his arrowe bar,
With his hart blood the wear wete.[182] 90

Ther was never a freake wone foot wolde fle,
But still in stour[183] dyd stand,
Heawyng on yche othar,[184] whyll the myght dre,[185]
With many a bal-ful brande.

This battell begane in Chyviat 95
An owar befor the none,
And when even-song bell was rang
The battell was nat half done.

The tooke 'on' on ethar hand
Be the lyght off the mone; 100
Many hade no strenght for to stande,
In Chyviat the hyllys aboun.[186][187]

Of fifteen hondrith archars of Ynglonde
Went away but fifti and thre;
Of twenty hondrith spear-men of Skotlonde, 105
But even five and fifti:

But all wear slayne Cheviat within:
The hade no strengthe to stand on hie;[188]
The chylde may rue that ys un-borne,
It was the mor pittè. 110

Thear was slayne with the lord Persè
Sir John of Agerstone,
Sir Roger the hinde[189] Hartly,
Sir Wyllyam the bolde Hearone.

Sir Jorg the worthè Lovele[190][191] 115
A knyght of great renowen,
Sir Raff the ryche Rugbè
With dyntes wear beaten dowene.

For Wetharryngton my harte was wo,
That ever he slayne shulde be; 120
For when both his leggis wear hewyne in to,[192]
Yet he knyled and fought on hys kne.[193]

Ther was slayne with the dougheti Douglas
Sir Hewe the Mongon-byrry,
Sir Davye Lwdale, that worthè was, 125
His sistars son was he:

Sir Charles a Murrè, in that place,
That never a foot wolde fle;
Sir Hewe Maxwell, a lorde he was,
With the Duglas dyd he dey. 130

So on the morrowe the mayde them byears
Off byrch, and hasell so 'gray;'[194]
Many wedous[195] with wepyng tears,[196]
Cam to fach ther makys[197] a-way.

Tivydale may carpe[198] off care, 135
Northombarlond may mayk grat mone,[199]
For towe such captayns, as slayne wear thear,
On the march perti[200] shall never be none.[201]

Word ys commen to Edden-burrowe,
To Jamy the Skottishe kyng, 140
That dougheti Duglas, lyff-tenant of the Merches,
He lay slean Chyviot with-in.

His handdes dyd he weal[202] and wryng,
He sayd, Alas, and woe ys me!
Such another captayn Skotland within, 145
He sayd, y-feth shuld never be.[203]

Worde ys commyn to lovly Londone
Till[204] the fourth Harry our kyng,[205]
That lord Persè, leyff-tennante of the Merchis,[206]
He lay slayne Chyviat within. 150

God have merci on his soll, sayd kyng Harry,
Good lord, yf thy will it be!
I have a hondrith captayns in Yynglonde, he sayd,
As good as ever was hee:
But Persè, and I brook[207] my lyffe, 155
Thy deth well quyte[208] shall be.

As our noble kyng made his a-vowe,
Lyke a noble prince of renowen,
For the deth of the lord Persè,
He dyd the battel of Hombyll-down: 160

Wher syx and thritte Skottish knyghtes
On a day wear beaten down:
Glendale glytteryde on ther armor bryght,
Over castill, towar, and town.

This was the hontynge off the Cheviat; 165
That tear begane this spurn:[209]
Old men that knowen the grownde well yenoughe,
Call it the Battell of Otterburn.

At Otterburn began this spurne
Uppon a monnyn day:[210] 170
Ther was the dougghté Doglas slean,
The Persè never went away.

Ther was never a tym on the march partes
Sen the Doglas and the Persè met,
But yt was marvele, and the redde blude ronne not,
As the reane doys in the stret. 176

Jhesue Christ our balys bete,[211]
And to the blys us brynge!
Thus was the hountynge of the Chevyat:
God send us all good ending! 180

* * * * *

[***] The style of this and the following ballad is uncommonly
rugged and uncouth, owing to their being writ in the very coarsest
and broadest northern dialect.

The battle of Hombyll-down, or Humbledon, was fought Sept. 14,
1402 (anno 3 Hen. IV.), wherein the English, under the command of
the Earl of Northumberland and his son Hotspur, gained a complete
victory over the Scots. The village of _Humbledon_ is one mile
northwest from Wooler, in Northumberland. The battle was fought in
the field below the village, near the present Turnpike Road, in
a spot called ever since _Red-Riggs_. Humbledon is in _Glendale
Ward_, a district so named in this county, and mentioned above in
ver. 163.

FOOTNOTES:

[71] _Spectator_, Nos. 70, 74.

[72] [MS. Ashmole, 48, in the Bodleian Library. The Rev. W. W. Skeat has printed the ballad from the MS. in his _Specimens of English Literature_, 1394-1579. Clarendon Press Series, 1871.]

[73] Subscribed, after the usual manner of our old poets, expliceth (explicit) quoth Rychard Sheale.

[74] One of the earliest productions of the Scottish press, now to be found. The title-page was wanting in the copy here quoted; but it is supposed to have been printed in 1540. See Ames. [It is now believed to have been printed in 1549. See the new edition by J. A. H. Murray, printed for the Early English Text Society (Extra Series), 1872.]

[75] See Pt. ii. v. 25.

[76] See Pt. i. v. 99.

[77] Pt. ii. v. 36, 140.

[78] Who died Aug. 5, 1406, in the 7th year of our Hen. IV.

[79] James I. was crowned May 22, 1424; murdered Feb. 21, 1436-7.

[80] In 1460.--Hen. VI. was deposed 1461: restored and slain 1471.

[81] Item.... Concordatum est, quod, ... nullus unius partis vel alterius ingrediatur terras, boschas, forrestas, warrenas, loca, dominia quæcunque alicujus partis alterius subditi, causa venandi, piscandi, aucupandi, disportum aut solatium in eisdem, aliave quacunque de causa, absque licentia ejus ... ad quem ... loca ... pertinent, aut de deputatis suis prius capt. et obtent. Vid. Bp. Nicolson's _Leges Marchiarum_, 1705, 8vo. pp. 27, 51.

[82] This was the original title. See the ballad, Pt. i. v. 101; Pt. ii. v. 165.

[83] See the next ballad.

[84] Vid. Pt. ii. v. 167.

[85] [Chappell's Popular Music of the Olden Time, vol. i. p. 198; vol. ii. p. 774.]

[86] _Fit._ see ver. 100.

[87] [should be "an avowe," a vow (see v. 157, Fit. 2).]

[88] [in spite of.]

[89] Ver. 5, _magger_ in Hearne's PC. [Printed Copy.]

[90] [hinder.]

[91] Ver. 11. The the Persé. _PC._

[92] [company.]

[93] Ver. 13. archardes bolde off blood and bone. _PC._

[94] By these "_shyars thre_" is probably meant three districts in Northumberland, which still go by the name of _shires_, and are all in the neighbourhood of _Cheviot_. These are _Island-shire_, being the district so named from Holy-Island: _Norehamshire_, so called from the town and castle of Noreham (or Norham): and _Bamboroughshire_, the ward or hundred belonging to Bamborough castle and town.

[95] [high.]

[96] Ver. 19. throrowe. _PC._

[97] [rouse.]

[98] [bowmen skirmished in the long grass.]

[99] [broad arrows.]

[100] [wild deer.]

[101] [entirely.]

[102] [the bushes glanced.]

[103] [above.]

[104] [early.]

[105] [Monday.]

[106] [by.]

[107] [hour of noon.]

[108] [they blew a note over the dead stag on the grass.]

[109] Ver. 31. blwe a mot. _PC._

[110] [on all sides.]

[111] [slaughtered game.]

[112] [quartering.]

[113] [truly.]

[114] [aware of.]

[115] V. 42. myghtte. _PC. passim_.

[116] [battle axe and sword.]

[117] V. 43. brylly. _PC._

[118] V. 48. withowte ... feale. _PC._

[119] [in the.]

[120] V. 52. boys _PC._

[121] [since.]

[122] V. 54. ned. _PC._

[123] [Ver. 56. Percy and Hearne print, "att his men."]

[124] [glowing coal.]

[125] [man.]

[126] Ver. 59. whos. _PC._

[127] Ver. 65. whoys. _PC._

[128] [mean.]

[129] Ver. 71. agay. _PC._

[130] [the one of us shall die.]

[131] [earl.]

[132] [apart or aside.]

[133] [curse.]

[134] [head.]

[135] Ver. 81. sayd the the. _PC._

[136] [but if.]

[137] [one man for one.]

[138] Ver. 88. on _i.e. one_.

[139] This is probably corrupted in the MS. for _Rog. Widdrington_, who was at the head of the family in the reign of K. Edw. III. There were several successively of the names of _Roger_ and _Ralph_, but none of the name of _Richard_, as appears from the genealogies in the Heralds' office.

[140] [_for_ wot, know.]

[141] [two.]

[142] Fit. see vol. 2, p. 182.

[143] [if you.]

[144] Ver. 3. first, _i.e. flight_.

[145] [slew.]

[146] [abides.]

[147] V. 5. byddys. _PC._

[148] [mischief, wrong.]

[149] [sure.]

[150] [they come.]

[151] [many a doughty one they made to die.]

[152] V. 17. boys. _PC._

[153] V. 18. briggt. _PC._

[154] [helmets.]

[155] [Mr. Skeat suggests that this is a corruption for manople, a large gauntlet.]

[156] V. 21. throrowe. _PC._

[157] [many fierce ones they struck down.]

[158] V. 22. done. _PC._

[159] [strong man.]

[160] Ver. 26. to, _i.e. two_. _Ibid._ and of. _PC._

[161] [exchanged blows.]

[162] [did sweat.]

[163] [Milan steel.]

[164] [men.]

[165] [spurted out.]

[166] V. 32. ran. _PC._

[167] V. 33. helde. _PC._

[168] [promise.]

[169] _Wane_, _i.e. ane_, one, &c. man, an arrow came from a mighty one: from a mighty man. [misreading for _mane_ (?) see v. 63, fit. i.]

[170] Ver. 49. throroue. _PC._

[171] This seems to have been a Gloss added.

[172] [put.]

[173] [grasped.]

[174] [courser.]

[175] [he never lingered nor stopped.]

[176] [blow.]

[177] V. 74. ber. _PC._

[178] Ver. 80. Say, _i. e. Sawe_.

[179] V. 84. haylde. _PC._

[180] [sore.]

[181] V. 87. far. _PC._

[182] This incident is taken from the battle of Otterbourn; in which Sir Hugh Montgomery, Knt. (son of John Lord Montgomery) was slain with an arrow. Vid. _Crawford's Peerage_.

[183] [fight.]

[184] [hewing at each other.]

[185] [suffer.]

[186] [hills above.]

[187] Ver. 102. abou. _PC._

[188] V. 108. strenge ... hy. _PC._

[189] [gentle.]

[190] [Mr. Skeat reads Lou_m_be.]

[191] V. 115. lóule. _PC._

[192] V. 121. in to, _i.e. in two_.

[193] V. 122. kny. _PC._

[194] Ver. 132. gay. _PC._

[195] [widows.]

[196] A common pleonasm, see the next poem, Fit. 2d. V. 155; so Harding in his Chronicle, chap. 140, fol. 148, describing the death of Richard I. says,

"He shrove him then unto Abbots thre
With great sobbyng ... and wepyng teares."

So likewise Cavendish in his _Life of Cardinal Wolsey_, chap. 12, p. 31, 4to.: "When the Duke heard this, he replied with weeping teares," &c.

[197] [mates.]

[198] [complain]

[199] V. 136. mon. _PC._

[200] [on the marches (see ver. 173).]

[201] V. 138. non. _PC._

[202] [wail.]

[203] V. 146. ye feth. _PC._

[204] [to, unto]

[205] For the names in this and the foregoing page, see the Remarks at the end of the next ballad.

[206] Ver. 149. cheyff tennante. _PC._

[207] [if I enjoy.]

[208] [requited.]

[209] [that tearing or pulling began this kick.]

[210] [Monday.]

[211] [better our bales, or remedy our evils.]

II.

THE BATTLE OF OTTERBOURNE.

The only battle wherein an Earl of Douglas was slain fighting with a Percy was that of Otterbourne, which is the subject of this ballad. It is here related with the allowable partiality of an English poet, and much in the same manner as it is recorded in the English Chronicles. The Scottish writers have, with a partiality at least as excusable, related it no less in their own favour. Luckily we have a very circumstantial narrative of the whole affair from Froissart, a French historian, who appears to be unbiassed. Froissart's relation is prolix; I shall therefore give it, with a few corrections, as abridged by Carte, who has, however, had recourse to other authorities, and differs from Froissart in some things, which I shall note in the margin.

In the twelfth year of Richard II., 1388, "The Scots taking advantage of the confusions of this nation, and falling with a party into the West-marches, ravaged the country about Carlisle, and carried off 300 prisoners. It was with a much greater force, headed by some of the principal nobility, that, in the beginning of August,[212] they invaded Northumberland; and, having wasted part of the county of Durham,[213] advanced to the gates of Newcastle; where, in a skirmish, they took a 'penon' or colours[214] belonging to Henry lord Percy, surnamed Hotspur, son to the Earl of Northumberland. In their retreat home, they attacked a castle near Otterbourn: and, in the evening of Aug. 9 (as the English writers say, or rather, according to Froissart, Aug. 15), after an unsuccessful assault were surprised in their camp, which was very strong, by Henry, who at the first onset put them into a good deal of confusion. But James Earl of Douglas rallying his men, there ensued one of the best-fought actions that happened in that age; both armies showing the utmost bravery:[215] the earl Douglas himself being slain on the spot;[216] the Earl of Murrey mortally wounded; and Hotspur,[217] with his brother Ralph Percy, taken prisoners. These disasters on both sides have given occasion to the event of the engagement's being disputed. Froissart (who derives his relation from a Scotch knight, two gentlemen of the same country, and as many of Foix)[218] affirming that the Scots remained masters of the field; and the English writers insinuating the contrary. These last maintain that the English had the better of the day: but night coming on, some of the northern lords, coming with the Bishop of Durham to their assistance, killed many of them by mistake, supposing them to be Scots; and the Earl of Dunbar, at the same time falling on another side upon Hotspur, took him and his brother prisoners, and carried them off while both parties were fighting. It is at least certain, that immediately after this battle the Scots engaged in it made the best of their way home: and the same party was taken by the other corps about Carlisle."

Such is the account collected by Carte, in which he seems not to be free from partiality: for prejudice must own that Froissart's circumstantial account carries a great appearance of truth, and he gives the victory to the Scots. He, however, does justice to the courage of both parties; and represents their mutual generosity in such a light, that the present age might edify by the example. "The Englyshmen on the one partye, and Scottes on the other party, are good men of warre, for whan they mete, there is a hard fighte without sparynge. There is no hoo[219] betwene them as long as speares, swordes, axes, or dagers wyll endure; but lay on eche upon other: and whan they be well beaten, and that the one party hath obtayned the victory, they than glorifye so in their dedes of armes, and are so joyfull, that suche as be taken, they shall be ransomed or they go out of the felde;[220] so that shortely _eche of them is so contente with other, that at their departynge curtoysly they will saye, God thanke you_. But in fyghtynge one with another there is no playe, nor sparynge." _Froissart's Chronicle_ (as translated by Sir Johan Bourchier Lord Berners), cap. cxlii.

The following Ballad is (in this present edition) printed from an old MS. in the Cotton Library[221] (_Cleopatra_, c. iv.), and contains many stanzas more than were in the former copy, which was transcribed from a MS. in the Harleian Collection [No. 293, fol. 52.] In the Cotton MS. this poem has no title, but in the Harleian copy it is thus inscribed, _A songe made in R. 2. his tyme of the battele of Otterburne, betweene Lord Henry Percye earle of Northomberlande and the earle Douglas of Scotlande_, Anno 1388.

But this title is erroneous, and added by some ignorant transcriber of after-times: for, 1. The battle was not fought by the Earl of Northumberland, who was absent, but by his son, _Sir Henry Percy_, Knt., surnamed _Hotspur_ (in those times they did not usually give the title of _Lord_ to an Earl's eldest son). 2. Altho' the battle was fought in Richard II.'s time, the song is evidently of later date, as appears from the poet's quoting the chronicles in _Pt. II._, ver. 26; and speaking of Percy in the last stanza as dead. It was, however, written in all likelihood as early as the foregoing song, if not earlier. This, perhaps, may be inferred from the minute circumstances with which the story is related, many of which are recorded in no chronicle, and were probably preserved in the memory of old people. It will be observed that the authors of these two poems have some lines in common; but which of them was the original proprietor must depend upon their priority; and this the sagacity of the reader must determine.

* * * * *

[We have here a ballad founded upon a true historical event, in
which the writer attempts to be as truthful as his national bias
will allow him. In Chevy Chase, Percy is the aggressor, but in
the "Battle of Otterburn," Douglas commences the encounter by his
action. At the period under notice the king of England (Richard
II.) was occupied in dissension with his uncle, the Duke of
Gloucester, and the Parliament, while Robert II., King of Scotland,
was very old, and his eldest son lame and inactive, so that the
Border chieftains were pretty much left to their own devices. The
Earl of Fife, a younger son of King Robert, and certain of the
great nobles, arranged among themselves that an inroad should be
made into England as a reprisal for the injuries the Scotch had at
various times sustained from the English, and the expedition was
placed under the command of James, Earl of Douglas.

Besides the ballad we are now considering there are metrical
accounts of the battle in John Hardyng's _Chronicle_, Joannes de
Fordun's _Scoti-Chronicon_, and Wyntoun's _Orygynal Cronykil of_
_Scotland_. In 1857, Robert White published an interesting _History
of the Battle of Otterburn, fought in 1388, with Memoirs of the
Warriors who engaged in that memorable conflict_. This book is
written in an enthusiastic spirit by one who was born and bred on
the Borders, and who kept alive in his soul the true old Border
spirit. He listened on his mother's knee to the stanzas of the
modern ballad of _Chevy Chase_, which she chanted to him, and he
grew up with a feeling which he retained through life, that Percy
and Douglas were far greater men than Napoleon and Wellington.

The exact date of the battle is an open question, for the
authorities disagree as to this particular; thus Buchanan fixes it
on July 21st, and other writers name, respectively, August 5th,
9th, 10th, 15th, and 19th. White thinks that the battle was fought
on the evening of Wednesday and morning of Thursday, 19th and 20th
of August, immediately before the full moon. In the year 1388 the
new moon fell on the 6th of August, and Douglas is not likely to
have chosen a period of dark evenings for his expedition. Another
disputed point is the number of men in the Scottish army, under
Douglas. Froissart gives the numbers at three or four hundred
men-at-arms, and two thousand infantry; Wyntoun, at near seven
thousand men; Buchanan, at three hundred horse and two thousand
foot, besides servants and attendants; Godscroft, at four thousand
horsemen; Ridpath, at three thousand men; and Scott, at three
hundred men-at-arms, who, with their followers, made up from a
thousand to fifteen hundred men, with two thousand chosen infantry.
White makes the following statement as the result of his sifting of
the conflicting accounts:--

Men-at-arms 400
Attendants on ditto, footmen, lackeys, and grooms 1,200
Infantry mounted 2,000
Attendants on ditto, boys to take care of horses, sutlers, &c 3,000
-----
6,600

It has been supposed that the first part of this ballad down to
verse 112 was originally of Scottish manufacture, for two reasons:
1st, because Hume, of Godscroft, refers to "a Scots song," which
begins as this does; and 2nd, because haymaking has been over at
least a month in England at Lammas, when Scotch husbandmen are
still busy "winning their hay." This last reason, however, cannot
be considered a very conclusive one, as the seasons must be much
alike on the two sides of the Border. The second part is written
from a thoroughly English stand-point. The two Scottish versions,
viz. the one given by Scott in his _Minstrelsy of the Scottish
Border_, and the one in _Herd's Collection_, are very different
from the English ballad.]

* * * * *

Yt felle abowght the Lamasse tyde,
Whan husbonds wynn ther haye,[222]
The dowghtye Dowglasse bowynd[223] hym to ryde,
In Ynglond to take a praye:

The yerlle[224] of Fyffe,[225] withowghten stryffe, 5
He bowynd hym over Sulway:[226]
The grete wolde ever together ryde;
That race they may rue for aye.

Over 'Ottercap' hyll they[227] came in,
And so dowyn by Rodelyffe cragge, 10
Upon Grene 'Leyton' they lyghted dowyn,
Styrande[228] many a stagge:[229]

And boldely brente[230] Northomberlonde,
And haryed[231] many a towyn;
They dyd owr Ynglyssh men grete wrange,[232] 15
To battell that were not bowyn.[233]

Than spake a berne[234] upon the bent,[235]
Of comforte that was not colde,
And sayd, We have brent Northomberlond,
We have all welth in holde. 20

Now we have haryed all Bamboroweshyre,
All the welth in the worlde have wee;
I rede[236] we ryde to Newe Castell,
So styll and stalwurthlye.[237]

Uppon the morowe, when it was daye, 25
The standards schone fulle bryght;
To the Newe Castelle the toke the waye,
And thether they cam fulle ryght.

Sir Henry Percy laye at the Newe Castelle,
I telle yow withowtten drede; 30
He had byn a march-man[238] all hys dayes,
And kepte Barwyke upon Twede.

To the Newe Castell when they cam,
The Skottes they cryde on hyght,[239]
Syr Harye Percy, and thow byste[240] within, 35
Com to the fylde, and fyght:

For we have brente Northomberlonde,
Thy eritage good and ryght;
And syne my logeyng I have take,[241]
With my brande dubbyd many a knyght. 40

Sir Harry Percy cam to the walles,
The Skottyssh oste for to se;
"And thow hast brente Northomberlond,
Full sore it rewyth[242] me.

Yf thou hast haryed all Bambarowe shyre, 45
Thow hast done me grete envye;[243]
For the trespasse thow hast me done,
The tone[244] of us schall dye."

Where schall I byde the, sayd the Dowglas?
Or where wylte thow come to me? 50
"At Otterborne in the hygh way,[245]
Ther maist thow well logeed be.

The roo[246] full rekeles ther sche rinnes,[247]
To make the game and glee:
The fawkon and the fesaunt[248] both, 55
Amonge the holtes on 'hee.'[249][250]

Ther maist thow have thy welth at wyll,
Well looged ther maist be.
Yt schall not be long, or I com the tyll,"[251]
Sayd Syr Harry Percye. 60

Ther schall I byde the, sayd the Dowglas,
By the fayth of my bodye.
Thether schall I com, sayd Syr Harry Percy;
My trowth I plyght to the.

A pype of wyne he gave them over the walles, 65
For soth, as I yow saye:
Ther he mayd the Douglas drynke,
And all hys oste that daye.

The Dowglas turnyd him homewarde agayne,
For soth[252] withowghten naye, 70
He tooke his logeyng at Oterborne
Uppon a Wedyns-day:

And ther he pyght[253] hys standerd dowyn,
Hys gettyng[254] more and lesse,
And syne[255] he warned hys men to goo 75
To chose ther geldyngs gresse.

A Skottysshe knyght hoved[256] upon the bent,[257]
A wache[258] I dare well saye:
So was he ware[259] on the noble Percy
In the dawnynge of the daye. 80

He prycked[260] to his pavyleon dore,
As faste as he myght ronne,
Awaken, Dowglas, cryed the knyght,
For hys love, that syttes yn trone.[261]

Awaken, Dowglas, cryed the knyght, 85
For thow maiste waken wyth wynne:[262]
Yender have I spyed the prowde Percy,
And seven standardes wyth hym.

Nay by my trowth, the Douglas sayed,
It ys but a fayned taylle: 90
He durste not loke on my bred[263] banner,
For all Ynglonde so haylle.[264]

Was I not yesterdaye at the Newe Castell,
That stonds so fayre on Tyne?
For all the men the Percy hade, 95
He cowde not garre[265] me ones to dyne.

He stepped owt at hys pavelyon dore,
To loke and it were lesse;
Arraye yow, lordyngs, one and all,
For here bygynnes no peysse.[266] 100

The yerle of Mentaye,[267] thow arte my eme,[268]
The forwarde[269] I gyve to the:
The yerlle of Huntlay cawte[270] and kene,
He schall wyth the be.

The lorde of Bowghan[271] in armure bryght 105
On the other hand he schall be:
Lorde Jhonstone, and lorde Maxwell,
They to schall be with me.

Swynton fayre fylde upon your pryde
To batell make yow bowen:[272] 110
Syr Davy Scotte, Syr Walter Stewarde,
Syr Jhon of Agurstone.

A FYTTE.

* * * * *

The Perssy came byfore hys oste,[273]
Wych was ever a gentyll knyght,
Upon the Dowglas lowde can he crye,
I wyll holde that I have hyght:[274][275]

For thow haste brente Northumberlonde. 5
And done me grete envye;
For thys trespasse thou hast me done,
The tone of us schall dye.

The Dowglas answerde hym agayne
With grete wurds up on 'hee,'[276] 10
And sayd, I have twenty agaynst 'thy' one,[277][278]
Byholde and thow maiste see.

Wyth that the Percye was grevyd sore,
For sothe as I yow saye:
[[279]He lyghted dowyn upon his fote, 15
And schoote[280] his horsse clene away.

Every man sawe that he dyd soo,
That ryall[281] was ever in rowght;[282]
Every man schoote hys horsse him froo,
And lyght hym rowynde abowght. 20

Thus Syr Hary Percye toke the fylde,
For soth, as I yow saye:
Jesu Cryste in hevyn on hyght
Dyd helpe hym well that daye.

But nyne thowzand, ther was no moo; 25
The cronykle wyll not layne:[283]
Forty thowsande Skottes and fowre
That day fowght them agayne.

But when the batell byganne to joyne,
In hast ther came a knyght, 30
'Then' letters fayre furth hath he tayne
And thus he sayd full ryght:

My lorde, your father he gretes yow well,
Wyth many a noble knyght;
He desyres yow to byde
That he may see thys fyght.

The Baron of Grastoke ys com owt of the west,
Wyth hym a noble companye;
All they loge at your fathers thys nyght,
And the Battel fayne wold they see. 40

For Jesu's love, sayd Syr Harye Percy,
That dyed for yow and me,
Wende to my lorde my Father agayne,
And saye thow saw me not with yee:[284]

My trowth ys plyght to yonne Skottysh knyght, 45
It nedes me not to layne,[285]
That I schulde byde hym upon thys bent,
And I have hys trowth agayne:

And if that I wende off thys grownde
For soth unfoughten awaye, 50
He wolde me call but a kowarde knyght
In hys londe another daye.

Yet had I lever[286] to be rynde[287] and rente,
By Mary that mykel maye;[288]
Then ever my manhod schulde be reprovyd 55
Wyth a Skotte another daye.

Wherfore schote, archars, for my sake,
And let scharpe arowes flee:
Mynstrells, playe up for your waryson,[289]
And well quyt it schall be. 60

Every man thynke on hys trewe love,
And marke hym to the Trenite:[290]
For to God I make myne avowe
Thys day wyll I not fle.

The blodye Harte in the Dowglas armes, 65
Hys standerde stode on hye;
That every man myght full well knowe:
By syde stode Starres thre.

The whyte Lyon on the Ynglysh parte,
Forsoth as I yow sayne;[291] 70
The Lucetts and the Cressawnts both:
The Skotts faught them agayne.[292]]

Uppon sent Andrewe lowde cane they crye,
And thrysse they schowte on hyght,
And syne marked them one owr Ynglysshe men, 75
As I have tolde yow ryght.

Sent George the bryght owr ladyes knyght,
To name they[293] were full fayne,
Owr Ynglysshe men they cryde on hyght,
And thrysse the schowtte agayne. 80

Wyth that scharpe arowes bygan to flee,
I tell yow in sertayne;
Men of armes byganne to joyne;
Many a dowghty man was ther slayne.

The Percy and the Dowglas mette, 85
That ether of other was fayne;
They schapped[294] together, whyll that the swette,
With swords of fyne Collayne;[295]

Tyll the bloode from ther bassonetts[296] ranne,
As the roke[297] doth in the rayne. 90
Yelde the to me, sayd the Dowglàs,
Or ells thow schalt be slayne:

For I see, by thy bryght bassonet,
Thow arte sum man of myght;
And so I do by thy burnysshed brande,[298] 95
Thow art an yerle, or ells a knyght.[299]

By my good faythe, sayd the noble Percy,
Now haste thou rede[300] full ryght,
Yet wyll I never yelde me to the,
Whyll I may stonde and fyght. 100

They swapped together, whyll that they swette,
Wyth swordes scharpe and long;
Ych on other so faste they beette,
Tyll ther helmes cam in peyses dowyn.

The Percy was a man of strenghth, 105
I tell yow in thys stounde,[301]
He smote the Dowglas at the swordes length,
That he felle to the growynde.

The sworde was scharpe and sore can byte,
I tell yow in sertayne; 110
To the harte, he cowde hym smyte,
Thus was the Dowglas slayne.

The stonderds stode styll on eke syde,
With many a grevous grone;
Ther the fowght the day, and all the nyght, 115
And many a dowghty man was 'slone.'[302]

Ther was no freke,[303] that ther wolde flye,
But styffly in stowre[304] can stond,
Ychone[305] hewyng on other whyll they myght drye,[306]
Wyth many a bayllefull bronde. 120

Ther was slayne upon the Skottes syde,
For soth and sertenly,
Syr James a Dowglas ther was slayne,
That daye that he cowde dye.[307]

The yerlle Mentaye of he was slayne, 125
Grysely[308] groned uppon the growynd;
Syr Davy Scotte, Syr Walter Steward,
Syr 'John' of Agurstonne.[309]

Syr Charlles Morrey in that place,
That never a fote wold flye; 130
Sir Hughe Maxwell, a lorde he was,
With the Dowglas dyd he dye.

Ther was slayne upon the Skottes syde,
For soth[310] as I yow saye,
Of fowre and forty thowsande Scotts 135
Went but eyghtene awaye.

Ther was slayne upon the Ynglysshe syde,
For soth and sertenlye,
A gentell knyght, Sir John Fitz-hughe,
Yt was the more petye. 140

Syr James Harebotell ther was slayne,
For hym ther hartes were sore,
The gentyll 'Lovelle' ther was slayne,[311]
That the Percyes standerd bore.

Ther was slayne uppon the Ynglyssh perte, 145
For soth as I yow saye;
Of nyne thowsand Ynglyssh men
Fyve hondert cam awaye:

The other were slayne in the fylde,
Cryste kepe ther sowles from wo, 150
Seyng ther was so fewe fryndes
Agaynst so many a foo.

Then one the morne they mayd them beeres[312]
Of byrch, and haysell graye;
Many a wydowe with wepyng teyres 155
Ther makes[313] they fette[314] awaye.

Thys fraye bygan at Otterborne,
Bytwene the nyghte and the day:
Ther the Dowglas lost hys lyfe,
And the Percy was lede awaye.[315] 160

Then was ther a Scottyshe prisoner tayne,
Syr Hughe Mongomery was hys name,
For soth as I yow saye,
He borowed the Percy home agayne.[316]

Now let us all for the Percy praye[317] 165
To Jesu most of myght,
To bryng hys sowle to the blysse of heven,
For he was a gentyll knyght.

[***] Most of the names in the two preceding ballads are found to
have belonged to families of distinction in the North, as may be
made appear from authentic records. Thus in

THE ANCIENT BALLAD OF CHEVY CHASE.

[Second Fit, ver. 112. _Agerstone._] The family of _Haggerston_ of _Haggerston_, near Berwick, has been seated there for many centuries, and still remains. _Thomas Haggerston_ was among the commissioners returned for Northumberland in 12 Hen. 6, 1433. (Fuller's _Worthies_, p. 310.) The head of this family at present is _Sir Thomas Haggerston_, Bart., of _Haggerston_ above-mentioned.

N.B. The name is spelt _Agerstone_, as in the text, in Leland's _Itinerary_, vol. vii. p. 54.[318]

[Ver. 113. _Hartly._] _Hartley_ is a village near the sea in the barony of Tinemouth, about 7 m. from North-Shields. It probably gave name to a family of note at that time.

[Ver. 114. _Hearone._] This family, one of the most ancient, was long of great consideration in Northumberland. _Haddeston_, the Caput Baroniæ of _Heron_, was their ancient residence. It descended 25 Edw. I. to the heir general _Emiline Heron_, afterwards Baroness _Darcy_.--_Ford, &c._, and _Bockenfield_ (in com. eodem) went at the same time to _Roger Heron_, the heir male; whose descendants were summoned to Parliament: Sir _William Heron_ of Ford Castle being summoned 44 Edw. III.--Ford Castle hath descended by heirs general to the family of Delaval (mentioned in the next article).--_Robert Heron_, Esq., who died at Newark in 1753, (father of the Right Hon. Sir _Richard Heron_, Bart.) was heir male of the _Herons_ of Bockenfield, a younger branch of this family.--Sir _Thomas Heron Middleton_, Bart., is heir male of the _Herons_ of Chip-Chase, another branch of the Herons of Ford Castle.

[Ver. 115. _Lovele._] _Joh. de Lavale, miles_, was sheriff of Northumberland 34 Hen. VIII. _Joh. de Lavele, mil._ in the 1 Edw. VI. and afterwards. (Fuller, 313.) In Nicholson this name is spelt _Da Lovel_, p. 304. This seems to be the ancient family of _Delaval_, of _Seaton Delaval_, in Northumberland, whose ancestor was one of the 25 _Barons_ appointed to be guardians of _Magna Charta_.[319]

[Ver. 117. _Rugbè._] The ancient family of _Rokeby_, in Yorkshire, seems to be here intended. In Thoresby's _Ducat. Leod._, p. 253, fol., is a genealogy of this house, by which it appears that the head of the family, about the time when this ballad was written, was Sir _Ralph Rokeby_, Knt., _Ralph_ being a common name of the _Rokebys_.[320]

[Ver. 119. _Wetharrington._] _Rog. de Widrington_ was sheriff of Northumberland in 36 of Edw. III. (Fuller, p. 311.)--_Joh. de_ _Widrington_ in 11 of Hen. IV. and many others of the same name afterwards.--See also Nicholson, p. 331.--Of this family was the late Lord Witherington.

[Ver. 124. _Mongonberry._] Sir _Hugh Montgomery_ was son of _John_ Lord _Montgomery_, the lineal ancestor of the present Earl of Eglington.

[Ver. 125. _Lwdale._] The ancient family of the _Liddels_ were originally from Scotland, where they were lords of _Liddel Castle_, and of the Barony of _Buff_. (Vid. Collins's _Peerage_.) The head of this family is the present Lord Ravensworth, of Ravensworth Castle, in the county of Durham.[321]

IN THE BATTLE OF OTTERBOURNE.

[Ver. 101. _Mentaye._] At the time of this battle the Earldom of _Menteith_ was possessed by _Robert Stewart_, Earl of Fife, third son of K. Robert II., who, according to Buchanan, commanded the Scots that entered by Carlisle. But our minstrel had probably an eye to the family of _Graham_, who had this earldom when the ballad was written. See Douglas's _Peerage of Scotland_, 1764, fol.

[Ver. 103. _Huntleye._] This shews this ballad was not composed before 1449; for in that year Alexander Lord of Gordon and Huntley, was created Earl of _Huntley_, by K. James II.

[Ver. 105. _Bowghan._] The Earl of _Buchan_ at that time was _Alexander Stewart_, fourth son of K. Robert II.