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.]