II.THE BATTLE OF OTTERBOURNE.

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]5A 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,10With suar[149]speares off myghttè treThe cum[150]in on every syde.Thrughe our Yngglishe archeryGave many a wounde full wyde;Many a doughete the garde to dy,[151]15Which 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 seBryght swordes on basnites[154]lyght.20Thorowe 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,25Lyk 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 fyghtTher-to the wear full fayne,30Tyll 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 bryngeWher thowe shalte have a yerls wagis35Of 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.40Nay 'then' sayd the lord Persè,I tolde it the beforne,That I wolde never yeldyde beTo no man of a woman born.With that ther cam an arrowe hastely45Forthe off a mightie wane,[169]Hit hathe strekene the yerle DuglasIn at the brest bane.Thoroue lyvar and longs bathe[170]The sharp arrowe ys gane,50That 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,55And 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 withMy landes for years thre,60For a better man of hart, nare of handeWas 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];65He 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.70He set uppone the lord PersèA dynte,[176]that was full soare;With a suar spear of a myghtè treClean thorow the body he the Persè bore,[177]Athe tothar syde, that a man myght se,75A large cloth yard and mare:Towe bettar captayns wear nat in Christiantè,Then that day slain wear ther.An archar off NorthomberlondeSay slean was the lord Persè,[178]80He 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,85He 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]90Ther 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 Chyviat95An owar befor the none,And when even-song bell was rangThe battell was nat half done.The tooke 'on' on ethar handBe the lyght off the mone;100Many hade no strenght for to stande,In Chyviat the hyllys aboun.[186][187]Of fifteen hondrith archars of YnglondeWent away but fifti and thre;Of twenty hondrith spear-men of Skotlonde,105But 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.110Thear was slayne with the lord PersèSir John of Agerstone,Sir Roger the hinde[189]Hartly,Sir Wyllyam the bolde Hearone.Sir Jorg the worthè Lovele[190][191]115A knyght of great renowen,Sir Raff the ryche RugbèWith dyntes wear beaten dowene.For Wetharryngton my harte was wo,That ever he slayne shulde be;120For when both his leggis wear hewyne in to,[192]Yet he knyled and fought on hys kne.[193]Ther was slayne with the dougheti DouglasSir Hewe the Mongon-byrry,Sir Davye Lwdale, that worthè was,125His 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.130So on the morrowe the mayde them byearsOff 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,135Northombarlond 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,140That 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,145He sayd, y-feth shuld never be.[203]Worde ys commyn to lovly LondoneTill[204]the fourth Harry our kyng,[205]That lord Persè, leyff-tennante of the Merchis,[206]He lay slayne Chyviat within.150God 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,155Thy 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:160Wher syx and thritte Skottish knyghtesOn a day wear beaten down:Glendale glytteryde on ther armor bryght,Over castill, towar, and town.This was the hontynge off the Cheviat;165That tear begane this spurn:[209]Old men that knowen the grownde well yenoughe,Call it the Battell of Otterburn.At Otterburn began this spurneUppon a monnyn day:[210]170Ther was the dougghté Doglas slean,The Persè never went away.Ther was never a tym on the march partesSen the Doglas and the Persè met,But yt was marvele, and the redde blude ronne not,As the reane doys in the stret.176Jhesue 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 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]5A 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,10With suar[149]speares off myghttè treThe cum[150]in on every syde.

Thrughe our Yngglishe archeryGave many a wounde full wyde;Many a doughete the garde to dy,[151]15Which 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 seBryght 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,25Lyk 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 fyghtTher-to the wear full fayne,30Tyll 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 bryngeWher thowe shalte have a yerls wagis35Of 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 beTo no man of a woman born.

With that ther cam an arrowe hastely45Forthe off a mightie wane,[169]Hit hathe strekene the yerle DuglasIn at the brest bane.

Thoroue lyvar and longs bathe[170]The sharp arrowe ys gane,50That 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,55And 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 withMy landes for years thre,60For a better man of hart, nare of handeWas 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];65He 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 PersèA dynte,[176]that was full soare;With a suar spear of a myghtè treClean thorow the body he the Persè bore,[177]

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

An archar off NorthomberlondeSay slean was the lord Persè,[178]80He 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,85He 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 Chyviat95An owar befor the none,And when even-song bell was rangThe battell was nat half done.

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

Of fifteen hondrith archars of YnglondeWent away but fifti and thre;Of twenty hondrith spear-men of Skotlonde,105But 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 PersèSir John of Agerstone,Sir Roger the hinde[189]Hartly,Sir Wyllyam the bolde Hearone.

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

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

Ther was slayne with the dougheti DouglasSir Hewe the Mongon-byrry,Sir Davye Lwdale, that worthè was,125His 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 byearsOff 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,135Northombarlond 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,140That 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,145He sayd, y-feth shuld never be.[203]

Worde ys commyn to lovly LondoneTill[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,155Thy 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 knyghtesOn a day wear beaten down:Glendale glytteryde on ther armor bryght,Over castill, towar, and town.

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

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

Ther was never a tym on the march partesSen 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 ofHumbledonis 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 sinceRed-Riggs. Humbledon is inGlendale Ward, a district so named in this county, and mentioned above in ver. 163.

⁂ 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 ofHumbledonis 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 sinceRed-Riggs. Humbledon is inGlendale 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 hisSpecimensof 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'sLeges 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,maggerin 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 ofshires, and are all in the neighbourhood ofCheviot. These areIsland-shire, being the district so named from Holy-Island:Norehamshire, so called from the town and castle of Noreham (or Norham): andBamboroughshire, 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. boysPC.[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. oni.e.one.[139]This is probably corrupted in the MS. forRog. Widdrington, who was at the head of the family in the reign of K. Edw. III. There were several successively of the names ofRogerandRalph, but none of the name ofRichard, as appears from the genealogies in the Heralds' office.[140][forwot, 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 formane(?) 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 Loumbe.][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 threWith great sobbyng ... and wepyng teares."So likewise Cavendish in hisLife 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.]

[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 hisSpecimensof 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'sLeges 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,maggerin 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 ofshires, and are all in the neighbourhood ofCheviot. These areIsland-shire, being the district so named from Holy-Island:Norehamshire, so called from the town and castle of Noreham (or Norham): andBamboroughshire, 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. boysPC.

[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. oni.e.one.

[139]This is probably corrupted in the MS. forRog. Widdrington, who was at the head of the family in the reign of K. Edw. III. There were several successively of the names ofRogerandRalph, but none of the name ofRichard, as appears from the genealogies in the Heralds' office.

[140][forwot, 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 formane(?) 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 Loumbe.]

[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 threWith great sobbyng ... and wepyng teares."So likewise Cavendish in hisLife of Cardinal Wolsey, chap. 12, p. 31, 4to.: "When the Duke heard this, he replied with weeping teares," &c.

[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 threWith great sobbyng ... and wepyng teares."

So likewise Cavendish in hisLife 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.]

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