161THE BATTLE OF OTTERBURN

A. a.Cotton MS. Cleopatra, C. iv, leaf 24, of about 1550.b.Harleian MS. 293, leaf 52. Both in the British Museum.

B. a.Herd’s MSS, I, 149, II, 30; Herd’s Scottish Songs, 1776, I, 153.b.Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border, 1802, I, 31.

C.Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border, 1833, I, 354.

D.Finlay’s Scottish Ballads, I, xviii f., two stanzas.

E.Motherwell’s Minstrelsy, p. lxxi, note 30, one stanza.

A awas first printed in the fourth edition of Percy’s Reliques, 1794, I, 18, andA bin the first edition, 1765, I, 18.

By far the most circumstantial account of the battle of Otterburn is given by Froissart (Chroniques, Buchon, XI, 362 ff, chap. 115 ff), and his highly felicitous narrative may be briefly summarized as follows.

The quarrels of Richard II with his uncles and a consequent feud between the great northern families of Neville and Percy furnished the Scots an inviting opportunity for an invasion of England on a large scale. Under the pretext of a festive meeting, a preliminary conference of barons and knights was held at Aberdeen, and it was there agreed that they should muster, the middle of August, 1388, at a place on the border near Jedburgh, with such forces as they could command. In all this they took no counsel with the king, who was then past seventy, and was regarded as of no account for their purposes. The result was a larger gathering than had been seen for sixty years, quite twelve hundred lances and forty thousand ordinary fighting-men.

The Earl of Northumberland and his sons, the Seneschal of York, and the Captain of Berwick had heard of the intended meeting at Aberdeen, and had sent heralds and minstrels thither, to get further information. These agents reported that all Scotland was astir, and that there was to be another parley in the forest of Jedburgh. The barons and knights of Northumberland made due preparations, and, the better to keep these secret, remained quiet in their houses, ready to sally as soon as they learned that the Scots were in motion. Feeling themselves incapable of coping with so large a body as had been collected, they decided upon a simultaneous counter-raid, and that from the east or from the west, according as the enemy should take the road from the west or the east. Of this plan of the English the Scots obtained knowledge from a spy whom they had captured, and to foil it they divided their army, directing the main body towards Carlisle, under command of Archibald Douglas, of the Earl of Fife, son of the king, and many other nobles, while a detachment of three or four hundred picked men-at-arms, supported by two thousand stout fellows, partly archers, all well mounted,[158]and commanded by James, Earl of Douglas, the Earl of March and Dunbar, and the Earl of Murray, were to strike for Newcastle, cross the river, and burn and ravage the bishopric of Durham.

The eastern division (with which alone we are concerned) carried out their program to the letter. They advanced at speed, stopping for nothing, and meeting with no resistance,and the burning and pillaging had begun in Durham before the Earl of Northumberland knew of their arrival. Fire and smoke soon showed what was going on. The earl dispatched his sons Henry and Ralph Percy to Newcastle, where the whole country rallied, gentle and simple; he himself remaining at Alnwick, in the hope of being able to enclose the Scots, when they should take the way north, between two bodies of English. The Scots attained to the very gates of Durham; then, having burned every unfortified town between there and Newcastle, they turned northward, with a large booty, repassed the Tyne, and halted at Newcastle. There was skirmishing for two days before the city, and in the course of a long combat between Douglas and Henry Percy the Scot got possession of the Englishman’s pennon. This he told Percy he would raise on the highest point of his castle at Dalkeith; Percy answered that he should never accomplish that vaunt, nor should he carry the pennon out of Northumberland. ‘Come then to-night and win it back,’ said Douglas; ‘I will plant it before my tent.’ It was then late, and the fighting ceased; but the Scots kept good guard, looking for Percy to come that very night for his pennon. Percy, however, was constrained to let that night pass.

The Scots broke up their camp early the next morning and withdrew homewards. Taking and burning the tower and town of Ponteland on their way, they moved on to Otterburn, thirty miles northwest from Newcastle, where there was a strong castle or tower, in marshy ground, which they assailed for a day without success. At the end of the day they held a council, and the greater part were in favor of making for Carlisle in the morning, to rejoin their countrymen. But the Earl of Douglas would not hear of this; Henry Percy had said that he would challenge his pennon; they would stay two or three days more and assault the castle, and see if Percy would be as good as his word. So the Scots encamped at their ease, making themselves huts of trees, and availing themselves of the marshes to fortify their position. At the entrance of the marshes, which was on the Newcastle road, they put their servants and foragers, and they drove their cattle into the bogs.

Henry Percy was greatly vexed and mortified at the loss of his pennon, and in the evening he represented to the knights and squires of Northumberland how much it concerned his honor to make good what he had said to Douglas, that the pennon should never be carried out of England. But these gentlemen were all convinced that Douglas was backed by the whole power of Scotland, of which they had seen only the van, by forty thousand men who could handle them at their will; at any rate, it was better to lose a pennon than two or three hundred knights and squires, and expose the country to risk. As for the loss of the pennon, it was one of the chances of arms; Douglas had won it handsomely; another time Percy would get as much from him, or more.[159]To this the Percys were fain to yield. Later there came scouts with information that Douglas was encamped at Otterburn, that the main army was not acting in conjunction with him, and that his forces, all told, did not exceed three thousand. Henry Percy was overjoyed at the news, and cried, To horse! by the faith I owe to God and my father, I will go seek my pennon, and the Scots shall be ousted before this night is over. The evening of that same day the Bishop of Durham was expected to arrive with a great many men, but Henry Percy would not wait. Six hundred lances and eight thousand foot were enough, he said, to serve the Scots, who had but three hundred lances and two thousand other folk. The English set forth as soon as they could get together, by the road which the Scots had taken, but were not able to move very fast by reason of their infantry.

Some of the Scots knights were supping, and more were asleep (for they had had hard work at the assault on the tower, and were meaning to be up betimes to renew the attack), when the English were upon the camp, crying, Percy! Percy! There was naturallygreat alarm. The English made their attack at that part of the camp where, as before said, the servants and foragers were lodged. This was, however, strong, and the knights sent some of their men to hold it while they themselves were arming. Then the Scots formed, each under his own earl and captain. It was night, but the weather was fair and the moon shining. The Scots did not go straight for the English, but took their way along by the marshes and by a hill, according to a plan which they had previously arranged against the case that their camp should be attacked. The English made short work with the underlings, but, as they advanced, always found fresh people to keep up a skirmish. And now the Scots, having executed a flank movement, fell upon their assailants in a mass, from a quarter where nothing was looked for, shouting their battle-cries with one voice. The English were astounded, but closed up, and gave them Percy! for Douglas! Then began a fell battle. The English, being in excess and eager to win, beat back the Scots, who were at the point of being worsted. James Douglas, who was young, strong, and keen for glory, sent his banner to the front, with the cry, Douglas! Douglas! Henry and Ralph Percy, indignant against the earl for the loss of the pennon, turned in the direction of the cry, responding, Percy! Knights and squires had no thought but to fight as long as spears and axes would hold out. It was a hand-to-hand fight; the parties were so close together that the archers of neither could operate; neither side budged, but both stood firm. The Scots showed extraordinary valor, for the English were three to one; but be this said without disparagement of the English, who have always done their duty.

As has been said, the English were so strong that they were forcing their foes back, and this James Douglas saw. To regain the ground, he took a two-handed axe, plunged into the thickest, and opened a path before him; for there was none so well armed in helmet or plate as not to fear his strokes. So he made his way till he was hit by three spears, all at once, one in the shoulder, another in the chest, another in the thigh, and borne to the ground. The English did not know that it was Earl Douglas that had fallen; they would have been so much elated that the day would have been theirs. Neither did the Scots; if they had, they would have given up in despair. Douglas could not raise himself from the ground, for he was wounded to the death. The crush about him was great, but his people had kept as close to him as they could. His cousin, Sir James Lindsay, reached the spot where he was lying, and with Lindsay Sir John and Sir Walter Sinclair, and other knights and squires. Near him, and severely wounded, they found his chaplain, William of North Berwick, who had kept up with his master the whole night, axe in hand; also Sir Robert Hart, with five wounds from lances and other weapons. Sir John Sinclair asked the earl, Cousin, how fares it with you? ‘Indifferently,’ said the earl; ‘praised be God, few of my ancestors have died in their beds. Avenge me, for I count myself dead. Walter and John Sinclair, up with my banner, and cry, Douglas! and let neither friend nor foe know of my state.’ The two Sinclairs and Sir John Lindsay did as they were bidden, raised the banner, and shouted, Douglas! They were far to the front, but others, who were behind, hearing the shout loudly repeated, charged the English with such valor as to drive them beyond the place where Douglas now lay dead, and came up with the banner which Sir John Lindsay was bearing, begirt and supported by good Scots knights and squires. The Earl of Murray came up too, and the Earl of March and Dunbar as well, and they all, as it were, took new life when they saw that they were together and that the English were giving ground. Once more was the combat renewed. The English had the disadvantage of the fatigue of a rapid march from Newcastle, by reason whereof their will was better than their wind, whereas the Scots were fresh; and the effects appeared in this last charge, in which the Scots drove the English so far back that they could not recover their lost ground. Sir Ralph Percy had already been taken prisoner. Like Douglas,he had advanced so far as to be surrounded, and being so badly wounded that his hose and boots were full of blood, he surrendered to Sir John Maxwell. Henry Percy, after a valorous fight with the Lord Montgomery, became prisoner to the Scottish knight.

It was a hard battle and well fought, but such are the turns of fortune that, although the English were the greater number, and all bold men and practised in arms, and although they attacked the enemy valiantly, and at first drove them back a good distance, the Scots in the end won the day. The losses of the English were put by their antagonists at 1040 prisoners, 1860 killed in the fight and the pursuit, and more than 1000 wounded; those of the Scots were about 100 killed and 200 captured.[160]The Scots retired without molestation, taking the way to Melrose Abbey, where they caused the Earl of Douglas to be interred, and his obsequies to be reverently performed. Over his body a tomb of stone was built, and above this was raised the earl’s banner.

Such is the story of the battle of Otterburn, fought on Wednesday, the 19th day of August,[161]in the year of grace 1388, as related by Froissart (with animated tributes to the hardihood and generosity of both parties) upon the authority of knights and squires actually present, both English and Scots, and also French.

Wyntoun, ix, 840–54, 900f (Laing, III, 36f) says that the alarm was given the Scots by a young man that came right fast riding (cf.A20, 21,B4,C17), and that many of the Scots were able to arm but imperfectly; among these Earl James, who was occupied with getting his men into order and was “reckless of his arming,” and the Earl of Murray, who forgot his basnet (cf.C20). Earl James was slain no man knew in what way. Bower, Scotichronicon, II, 405, agrees with Wyntoun. English chroniclers, Knyghton, col. 2728, Walsingham (Riley, II, 176[162]), Malverne, the continuator of Higden (Polychronicon, Lumby, IX, 185), assert that Percy killed Douglas with his own hand, Knyghton adding that Percy also wounded the Earl of Murray to the point of death.

That a Scots ballad of Otterburn was popular in the sixteenth century appears from The Complaynte of Scotlande, 1549, where a line is cited, The Perssee and the Mongumrye met, p. 65, ed. Murray: cf.B91,C301.[163]In the following century Hume of Godscroft writes:[164]The Scots song made of Otterburn telleth the time, about Lammasse, and the occasion, to take preyes out of England; also the dividing of the armies betwixt the Earles of Fife and Douglas, and their severall journeys,almost as in the authentick history. It beginneth thus:

It fell about the Lammas tide,When yeomen wonne their hay,The doughtie Douglas gan to ride,In England to take a prey.

It fell about the Lammas tide,

When yeomen wonne their hay,

The doughtie Douglas gan to ride,

In England to take a prey.

Motherwell maintains that the ballad which passes as English is the Scots song altered to please the other party. His argument, however, is far from conclusive. “That The Battle of Otterbourne was thus dealt with by an English transcriber appears obvious, for it studiously omits dilating on Percy’s capture, while it accurately details his combat with Douglas;” that is to say, the ballad as we have it is just what a real English ballad would have been, both as to what it enlarges on and what it slights. “Whereas it would appear that in the genuine Scottish version the capture of Percy formed a prominent incident, seeing it is the one by which the author of The Complaynt refers to the ballad [The Perssee and the Mongumrye met]:” from which Motherwell was at liberty to deduce thatBandCrepresent the genuine Scottish version, several stanzas being given to the capture of Percy in these; but this he would not care to do, on account of the great inferiority of these forms. A Scotsman could alter an English ballad “to suit political feeling and flatter national vanity,” as Motherwell says the Scotsdidwith Chevy Chace. (See further on, p. 303.) There is no reason to doubt that a Scots ballad of Otterburn once existed, much better than the two inferior, and partly suspicious, things which were printed by Herd and Scott, and none to doubt that an English minstrel would deal freely with any Scots ballad which he could turn to his purpose; but then there is no evidence, positive or probable, that this particular ballad was “adapted” from the Scots song made of Otterburn; rather are we to infer that the few verses ofBandCwhich repeat or resemble the text ofAwere borrowed fromA, and, as likely as not, Hume’s first stanza too.[165]

A, in the shape in which it has come down to us, must have a date long subsequent to the battle, as the grammatical forms show; still, what interested the borderers a hundred years or more after the event must have interested people of the time still more, and it would be against the nature of things that there should not have been a ballad as early as 1400. The ballad we have is likely to have been modernized from such a predecessor, but I am not aware that there is anything in the text to confirm such a supposition, unless one be pleased to make much of the Wednesday of the eighteenth stanza. The concluding stanza implies that Percy is dead, and he was killed at Shrewsbury, in 1403.

A.3. Hoppertope hyll, says Percy, is a corruption for Ottercap Hill (now Ottercaps Hill) in the parish of Kirk Whelpington, Tynedale Ward, Northumberland. Rodclyffe Cragge (now Rothley Crags) is a cliff near Rodeley, a small village in the parish of Hartburn, in Morpeth Ward, south-east of Ottercap; and Green Leyton, corruptly Green Lynton, is another small village, south-east of Rodeley, in the same parish. Reliques, 1794, I, 22.

8. Henry Percy seems to have been in his twenty-third year. As for his having been a march-man “all his days,” he is said to have begun fighting ten years before, in 1378, and to have been appointed Governor of Berwick and Warden of the Marches in 1385: White, History of the Battle of Otterburn, p. 67 f. Walsingham calls both Percy and Douglas young men, and Froissart speaks at least twice of Douglas as young. Fraser, The Douglas Book, 1885, I, 292, says that Douglas was probably born in 1358. White, as above, p. 91, would make him somewhat older.

17. The chivalrous trait in this stanza, and that in the characteristic passage 36–44, are peculiar to this transcendently heroic ballad.

26, 27. The earldom of Menteith at the time of this battle, says Percy, following Douglas’s Peerage, was possessed by RobertStewart, Earl of Fife, third son of King Robert II; but the Earl of Fife was in command of the main body and not present. (As Douglas married a daughter of King Robert II, the Earl of Fife was not his uncle, but his brother-in-law.) The mention of Huntley, says Percy, shows that the ballad was not composed before 1449; for in that year Alexander, Lord of Gordon and Huntley, was created Earl of Huntley by King James II. The Earl of Buchan at that time was Alexander Stewart, fourth son of the king. Reliques, 1794, I, 36.

352. ‘The cronykle will not layne.’ So in ‘The Rose of England,’ No 166, st. 224, ‘The cronickles of this will not lye,’ and also 172; and in ‘Flodden Field,’ appendix, p. 360, st. 1214.

43, 49. It will be remembered that the archers had no part in this fight.

45, 46. “The ancient arms of Douglas are pretty accurately emblazoned in the former stanza, and if the readings were, The crowned harte, and, Above stode starres thre, it would be minutely exact at this day. As for the Percy family, one of their ancient badges or cognizances was a white lyon statant, and the silver crescent continues to be used by them to this day. They also give three luces argent for one of their quarters.” Percy, as above, p. 30.

48. So far as I know, St George does not appear as Our Lady’s knight in any legendary, though he is so denominated or described elsewhere in popular tradition. So in the spell for night-mare, which would naturally be of considerable antiquity,

S. George, S. George, Our Ladies knight,He walkt by day, so did he by night, etc.:

S. George, S. George, Our Ladies knight,

He walkt by day, so did he by night, etc.:

Reginald Scot, The Discoverie of Witchcraft, 1584, as reprinted by Nicholson, p. 68, ed. 1665, p. 48; and Fletcher’s Monsieur Thomas, iv. 6, Dyce, VII, 388. In Nicholas Udall’s ‘Roister Doister,’ known to be as old as 1551, Matthew Merrygreek exclaims, “What then? sainct George to borow, Our Ladie’s knight!” Ed. W. D. Cooper, p. 77, Shakespeare Society, 1847. The Danish ballad of St George, ‘St Jørgen og Dragen,’ Grundtvig, No 103, II, 559 ff, the oldest version of which is from a 16th century MS., begins, “Knight St George, thou art my man” (svend); and in the second version, George, declining the princess whom he has rescued, says he has vowed to Mary to be her servant.[166]In the corresponding Swedish ballad, of the same age as the Danish, George is called Mary’s knight (Maria honom riddare gjorde, st. 2): Geijer and Afzelius, ed. Bergström, II, 402. This is also his relation in German ballads: Meinert, p. 254; Ditfurth, I, 55, No 68.[167]

B.1, 9, 14 nearly resembleA1, 50, 68, and must have the same origin. InB9 Douglas is changed to Montgomery; in 14 Douglas is wrongly said to have been buried on the field, instead of at Melrose Abbey, where his tomb is still to be seen.

7 is founded upon a tradition reported by Hume of Godscroft: “There are that say that he was not slain by the enemy, but by one of his owne men, a groome of his chamber, whom he had struck the day before with a truncheon in the ordering of the battell, because hee saw him make somewhat slowly to; and they name this man John Bickerton of Luffenesse, who left a part of his armour behinde unfastned, and when hee was in the greatest conflict, this servant of his came behinde his back and slew him thereat.” Ed. 1644, p. 105.

11. The summons to surrender to a braken-bush is not in the style of fighting-men or fighting-days, and would justify Hotspur’s contempt of metre-ballad-mongers.

12, 13.Bagrees with Froissart in making a Montgomery to be the captor of Henry Percy, whereasArepresents that Montgomerywas taken prisoner and exchanged for Percy. In The Hunting of the Cheviot Sir Hugh Montgomery kills Percy, and in return is shot by a Northumberland archer.

C.Scott does not give a distinct account of this version. He says that he had obtained two copies, since the publication of the earlier edition, “from the recitation of old persons residing at the head of Ettrick Forest, by which the story is brought out and completed in a manner much more correspondent to the true history.”Cis, in fact, a combination of four copies; the two from Ettrick Forest,B a, and the MS. copy used inB bto “correct” Herd.

8, it scarcely requires to be said, is spurious, modern in diction and in conception.

19. Perhaps derived from Hume of Godscroft rather than from tradition. When Douglas was dying, according to this historian,[168]he made these last requests of certain of his kinsmen: “First, that yee keep my death close both from our owne folke and from the enemy; then, that ye suffer not my standard to be lost or cast downe; and last, that ye avenge my death, and bury me at Melrosse with my father. If I could hope for these things,” he added, “I should die with the greater contentment; for long since I heard a prophesie that a dead man should winne a field, and I hope in God it shall be I.” Ed. 1644, p. 100.

22 must be derived from the English version. As the excellent editor of The Ballad Minstrelsy of Scotland, Glasgow, 1871, remarks, “no Scottish minstrel would ever have dreamt of inventing such a termination to the combat between these two redoubted heroes ... as much at variance with history as it is repulsive to national feeling:” p. 431.

Genealogical matters, in this and the following ballad, are treated, not always to complete satisfaction, in Bishop Percy’s notes, Reliques, 1794, I, 34 ff; Scott’s Minstrelsy, 1833, I, 351, 363 ff: White’s History of the Battle of Otterburn, p. 67 ff; The Ballads and Songs of Ayrshire, I, 66 f.

Ais translated by Doenniges, p. 87;Cby Grundtvig, Engelske og skotske Folkeviser, No 12, p. 74, and by Talvj, Charakteristik, p. 537.

a.Cotton MS. Cleopatra, C. iv, leaf 64, of about 1550.b.Harleian MS. 293, leaf 52.

1Yt fell abowght the Lamasse tyde,Whan husbondeswynnes ther haye,The dowghtye Dowglasse bowynd hym to ryde,In Ynglond to take a praye.2The yerlle of Fyffe, wythowghten stryffe,He bowynd hym over Sulway;The grete wolde ever to-gether ryde;That raysse they may rewe for aye.3Over Hoppertope hyll they cam in,And so down by Rodclyffe crage;Vpon Grene Lynton they lyghted dowyn,Styrande many a stage.4And boldely brente Northomberlond,And haryed many a towyn;They dyd owr Ynglyssh men grete wrange,To batell that were not bowyn.5Than spake a berne vpon the bent,Of comforte that was not colde,And sayd, We haue brente Northomberlond,We haue all welth in holde.6Now we haue haryed all Bamborowe schyre,All the welth in the worlde haue wee,I rede we ryde to Newe Castell,So styll and stalworthlye.7Vpon the morowe, when it was day,The standerds schone full bryght;To the Newe Castell the toke the waye,And thether they cam full ryght.8SyrHenry Perssy laye at the New Castell,I tell yow wythowtten drede;He had byn a march-man all hys dayes,And kepte Barwyke vpon Twede.9To the Newe Castell when they cam,The Skottes they cryde on hyght,‘Syr Hary Perssy, and thou byste within,Com to the fylde, and fyght.10‘For we haue brente Northomberlonde,Thy erytage good and ryght,And syne my logeyng I haue takeWythmy brande dubbyd many a knyght.’11SyrHarry Perssy cam to the walles,The Skottyssch oste for to se,And sayd, And thou hast brente NorthomberlondFull sore it rewyth me.12Yf thou hast haryed all Bamborowe schyre,Thow hast done me grete envye;For the trespasse thow hast me done,The tone of vs schall dye.13‘Where schall I byde the?’ sayd the Dowglas,‘Or where wylte thow com to me?’‘At Otterborne, in the hygh way,[T]her mast thow well logeed be.14‘[T]he roo full rekeles ther sche rinnes,[T]o make the game a[nd] glee;[T]he fawken and the fesaunt both,Among the holtes on hye.15‘Ther mast thow haue thy welth at wyll,Well looged ther mast be;Yt schall not be long or I com the tyll,’Sayd Syr Harry Perssye.16‘Ther schall I byde the,’ sayd the Dowglas,‘By the fayth of my bodye:’‘Thether schall I com,’ sayd SyrHarry Perssy,‘My trowth I plyght to the.’17A pype of wyne he gaue them over the walles,For soth as I yow saye;Ther he mayd the Dowglasse drynke,And all hys ost that daye.18The Dowglas turnyd hym homewarde agayne,For soth withowghten naye;He toke hys logeyng at Oterborne,Vpon a Wedynsday.19And ther he pyght hys standerd dowyn,Hys gettyng more and lesse,And syne he warned hys men to gooTo chose ther geldyngesgresse.20A Skottysshe knyght hoved vpon the bent,A wache I dare well saye;So was he ware on the noble Perssy,In the dawnyng of the daye.21He prycked to hys pavyleon-dore,As faste as he myght ronne;‘Awaken, Dowglas,’ cryed the knyght,‘For hys love that syttes in trone.22‘Awaken, Dowglas,’ cryed the knyght,‘For thow maste waken wyth wynne;Yender haue I spyed the prowde Perssye,And seven stondardes wyth hym.’23‘Nay by my trowth,’ the Dowglas sayed,‘It ys but a fayned taylle;He durst not loke on my brede bannerFor all Ynglonde so haylle.24‘Was I not yesterdaye at the Newe Castell,That stondesso fayre on Tyne?For all the men the Perssy had,He coude not garre me ones to dyne.’25He stepped owt at his pavelyon-dore,To loke and it were lesse:‘Araye yow, lordynges, one and all,For here bygynnes no peysse.26‘The yerle of Mentaye, thow arte my eme,The fowarde I gyve to the:The yerlle of Huntlay, cawte and kene,He schall be wyththe.27‘The lorde of Bowghan, in armure bryght,On the other hand he schall be;Lord Jhonstoune and Lorde Maxwell,They to schall be wythme.28‘Swynton, fayre fylde vpon your pryde!To batell make yow bowenSyrDavy Skotte, SyrWater Stewarde,SyrJhon of Agurstone!’29The Perssy cam byfore hys oste,Wych was ever a gentyll knyght;Vpon the Dowglas lowde can he crye,‘I wyll holde that I haue hyght.30‘For thou haste brente Northomberlonde,And done me grete envye;For thys trespasse thou hast me done,The tone of vs schall dye.’31The Dowglas answerde hym agayne,Wythgrett wurdesvpon hye,And sayd, I haue twenty agaynst thy one,Byholde, and thou maste see.32Wyth that the Perssy was grevyd sore,For soth as I yow saye;He lyghted dowyn vpon his foote,And schoote hys horsse clene awaye.33Euery man sawe that he dyd soo,That ryall was euer in rowght;Euery man schoote hys horsse hym froo,And lyght hym rowynde abowght.34Thus SyrHary Perssye toke the fylde,For soth as I yow saye;Jhesu Cryste in hevyn on hyghtDyd helpe hym well that daye.35But nyne thowzand, ther was no moo,The cronykle wyll not layne;Forty thowsande of Skottes and fowreThat day fowght them agayne.36But when the batell byganne to ioyne,In hast ther cam a knyght;The letters fayre furth hath he tayne,And thus he sayd full ryght:37‘My lorde your father he gretes yow well,Wyth many a noble knyght;He desyres yow to bydeThat he may see thys fyght.38‘The Baron of Grastoke ys com out of the west,Wyth hym a noble companye;All they loge at your fathers thys nyght,And the batell fayne wolde they see.’39‘For Jhesus love,’ sayd Syr Harye Perssy,‘That dyed for yow and me,Wende to my lorde my father agayne,And saye thow sawe me not wythyee.40‘My trowth ys plyght to yonne Skottysh knyght,It nedes me not to layne,That I schulde byde hym vpon thys bent,And I haue hys trowth agayne.41‘And if that I w[e]ynde of thys growende,For soth, onfowghten awaye,He wolde me call but a kowarde knyghtIn hys londe another daye.42‘Yet had I lever to be rynde and rente,By Mary, that mykkel maye,Then ever my manhood schulde be reprovydWyth a Skotte another day.43‘Wherfore schote, archars, for my sake,And let scharpe arowes flee;Mynstrells, playe vp for your waryson,And well quyt it schall bee.44‘Euery man thynke on hys trewe-love,And marke hym to the Trenite;For to God I make myne avoweThys day wyll I not flee.’45The blodye harte in the Dowglas armes,Hys standerde stode on hye,That euery man myght full well knowe;By syde stode starrës thre.46The whyte lyon on the Ynglyssh perte,For soth as I yow sayne,The lucettesand the cressawntesboth;The Skottesfavght them agayne.47Vpon Sent Androwe lowde can they crye,And thrysse they schowte on hyght,And syne merked them one owr Ynglysshe men,As I haue tolde yow ryght.48Sent George the bryght, owr ladyes knyght,To name they were full fayne;Owr Ynglyssh men they cryde on hyght,And thrysse the schowtte agayne.49Wyth that scharpe arowes bygan to flee,I tell yow in sertayne;Men of armes byganne to joyne,Many a dowghty man was ther slayne.50The Perssy and the Dowglas mette,That ether of other was fayne;They swapped together whyll that the swette,Wythswordesof fyne collayne:51Tyll the bloode from ther bassonnettesranne,As the roke doth in the rayne;‘Yelde the to me,’ sayd the Dowglas,‘Or ellesthow schalt be slayne.52‘For I see by thy bryght bassonet,Thow arte summan of myght;And so I do by thy burnysshed brande;Thow arte an yerle, or ellesa knyght.’53‘By my good faythe,’ sayd the noble Perssye,‘Now haste thow rede full ryght;Yet wyll I never yelde me to the,Whyll I may stonde and fyght.’54They swapped together whyll that they swette,Wyth swordës scharpe and long;Ych on other so faste thee beette,Tyll ther helmes cam in peyses dowyn.55The Perssy was a man of strenghth,I tell yow in thys stounde;He smote the Dowglas at the swordës lengthThat he felle to the growynde.56The sworde was scharpe, and sore can byte,I tell yow in sertayne;To the harte he cowde hym smyte,Thus was the Dowglas slayne.57The stonderdesstode styll on eke a syde,Wyth many a grevous grone;Ther the fowght the day, and all the nyght,And many a dowghty man was slayne.58Ther was no freke that ther wolde flye,But styffely in stowre can stond,Ychone hewyng on other whyll they myght drye,Wyth many a bayllefull bronde.59Ther was slayne vpon the Skottës syde,For soth and sertenly,SyrJames a Dowglas ther was slayne,That day that he cowde dye.60The yerlle of Mentaye he was slayne,Grysely groned vpon the growynd;SyrDavy Skotte, SyrWater Stewarde,SyrJhon of Agurstoune.61SyrCharllës Morrey in that place,That never a fote wold flee;SyrHewe Maxwell, a lorde he was,Wyththe Dowglas dyd he dye.62Ther was slayne vpon the Skottës syde,For soth as I yow saye,Of fowre and forty thowsande ScottesWent but eyghtene awaye.63Ther was slayne vpon the Ynglysshe syde,For soth and sertenlye,A gentell knyght, SyrJhon Fechewe,Yt was the more pety.64SyrJames Hardbotell ther was slayne,For hym ther hartes were sore;The gentyll Lovell ther was slayne,That the Perssys standerd bore.65Ther was slayne vpon the Ynglyssh perte,For soth as I yow saye,Of nyne thowsand Ynglyssh menFyve hondert cam awaye.66The other were slayne in the fylde;Cryste kepe ther sowlles from wo!Seyng ther was so fewe fryndesAgaynst so many a foo.67Then on the morne they mayde them beerysOf byrch and haysell graye;Many a wydowe, wythwepyng teyres,Ther makes they fette awaye.68Thys fraye bygan at Otterborne,Bytwene the nyght and the day;Ther the Dowglas lost hys lyffe,And the Perssy was lede awaye.69Then was ther a Scottysh prisoner tayne,SyrHewe Mongomery was hys name;For soth as I yow saye,He borowed the Perssy home agayne.70Now let vs all for the Perssy prayeTo Jhesu most of myght,To bryng hys sowlle to the blysse of heven,For he was a gentyll knyght.

1Yt fell abowght the Lamasse tyde,Whan husbondeswynnes ther haye,The dowghtye Dowglasse bowynd hym to ryde,In Ynglond to take a praye.

Yt fell abowght the Lamasse tyde,

Whan husbondeswynnes ther haye,

The dowghtye Dowglasse bowynd hym to ryde,

In Ynglond to take a praye.

2The yerlle of Fyffe, wythowghten stryffe,He bowynd hym over Sulway;The grete wolde ever to-gether ryde;That raysse they may rewe for aye.

The yerlle of Fyffe, wythowghten stryffe,

He bowynd hym over Sulway;

The grete wolde ever to-gether ryde;

That raysse they may rewe for aye.

3Over Hoppertope hyll they cam in,And so down by Rodclyffe crage;Vpon Grene Lynton they lyghted dowyn,Styrande many a stage.

Over Hoppertope hyll they cam in,

And so down by Rodclyffe crage;

Vpon Grene Lynton they lyghted dowyn,

Styrande many a stage.

4And boldely brente Northomberlond,And haryed many a towyn;They dyd owr Ynglyssh men grete wrange,To batell that were not bowyn.

And boldely brente Northomberlond,

And haryed many a towyn;

They dyd owr Ynglyssh men grete wrange,

To batell that were not bowyn.

5Than spake a berne vpon the bent,Of comforte that was not colde,And sayd, We haue brente Northomberlond,We haue all welth in holde.

Than spake a berne vpon the bent,

Of comforte that was not colde,

And sayd, We haue brente Northomberlond,

We haue all welth in holde.

6Now we haue haryed all Bamborowe schyre,All the welth in the worlde haue wee,I rede we ryde to Newe Castell,So styll and stalworthlye.

Now we haue haryed all Bamborowe schyre,

All the welth in the worlde haue wee,

I rede we ryde to Newe Castell,

So styll and stalworthlye.

7Vpon the morowe, when it was day,The standerds schone full bryght;To the Newe Castell the toke the waye,And thether they cam full ryght.

Vpon the morowe, when it was day,

The standerds schone full bryght;

To the Newe Castell the toke the waye,

And thether they cam full ryght.

8SyrHenry Perssy laye at the New Castell,I tell yow wythowtten drede;He had byn a march-man all hys dayes,And kepte Barwyke vpon Twede.

SyrHenry Perssy laye at the New Castell,

I tell yow wythowtten drede;

He had byn a march-man all hys dayes,

And kepte Barwyke vpon Twede.

9To the Newe Castell when they cam,The Skottes they cryde on hyght,‘Syr Hary Perssy, and thou byste within,Com to the fylde, and fyght.

To the Newe Castell when they cam,

The Skottes they cryde on hyght,

‘Syr Hary Perssy, and thou byste within,

Com to the fylde, and fyght.

10‘For we haue brente Northomberlonde,Thy erytage good and ryght,And syne my logeyng I haue takeWythmy brande dubbyd many a knyght.’

‘For we haue brente Northomberlonde,

Thy erytage good and ryght,

And syne my logeyng I haue take

Wythmy brande dubbyd many a knyght.’

11SyrHarry Perssy cam to the walles,The Skottyssch oste for to se,And sayd, And thou hast brente NorthomberlondFull sore it rewyth me.

SyrHarry Perssy cam to the walles,

The Skottyssch oste for to se,

And sayd, And thou hast brente Northomberlond

Full sore it rewyth me.

12Yf thou hast haryed all Bamborowe schyre,Thow hast done me grete envye;For the trespasse thow hast me done,The tone of vs schall dye.

Yf thou hast haryed all Bamborowe schyre,

Thow hast done me grete envye;

For the trespasse thow hast me done,

The tone of vs schall dye.

13‘Where schall I byde the?’ sayd the Dowglas,‘Or where wylte thow com to me?’‘At Otterborne, in the hygh way,[T]her mast thow well logeed be.

‘Where schall I byde the?’ sayd the Dowglas,

‘Or where wylte thow com to me?’

‘At Otterborne, in the hygh way,

[T]her mast thow well logeed be.

14‘[T]he roo full rekeles ther sche rinnes,[T]o make the game a[nd] glee;[T]he fawken and the fesaunt both,Among the holtes on hye.

‘[T]he roo full rekeles ther sche rinnes,

[T]o make the game a[nd] glee;

[T]he fawken and the fesaunt both,

Among the holtes on hye.

15‘Ther mast thow haue thy welth at wyll,Well looged ther mast be;Yt schall not be long or I com the tyll,’Sayd Syr Harry Perssye.

‘Ther mast thow haue thy welth at wyll,

Well looged ther mast be;

Yt schall not be long or I com the tyll,’

Sayd Syr Harry Perssye.

16‘Ther schall I byde the,’ sayd the Dowglas,‘By the fayth of my bodye:’‘Thether schall I com,’ sayd SyrHarry Perssy,‘My trowth I plyght to the.’

‘Ther schall I byde the,’ sayd the Dowglas,

‘By the fayth of my bodye:’

‘Thether schall I com,’ sayd SyrHarry Perssy,

‘My trowth I plyght to the.’

17A pype of wyne he gaue them over the walles,For soth as I yow saye;Ther he mayd the Dowglasse drynke,And all hys ost that daye.

A pype of wyne he gaue them over the walles,

For soth as I yow saye;

Ther he mayd the Dowglasse drynke,

And all hys ost that daye.

18The Dowglas turnyd hym homewarde agayne,For soth withowghten naye;He toke hys logeyng at Oterborne,Vpon a Wedynsday.

The Dowglas turnyd hym homewarde agayne,

For soth withowghten naye;

He toke hys logeyng at Oterborne,

Vpon a Wedynsday.

19And ther he pyght hys standerd dowyn,Hys gettyng more and lesse,And syne he warned hys men to gooTo chose ther geldyngesgresse.

And ther he pyght hys standerd dowyn,

Hys gettyng more and lesse,

And syne he warned hys men to goo

To chose ther geldyngesgresse.

20A Skottysshe knyght hoved vpon the bent,A wache I dare well saye;So was he ware on the noble Perssy,In the dawnyng of the daye.

A Skottysshe knyght hoved vpon the bent,

A wache I dare well saye;

So was he ware on the noble Perssy,

In the dawnyng of the daye.

21He prycked to hys pavyleon-dore,As faste as he myght ronne;‘Awaken, Dowglas,’ cryed the knyght,‘For hys love that syttes in trone.

He prycked to hys pavyleon-dore,

As faste as he myght ronne;

‘Awaken, Dowglas,’ cryed the knyght,

‘For hys love that syttes in trone.

22‘Awaken, Dowglas,’ cryed the knyght,‘For thow maste waken wyth wynne;Yender haue I spyed the prowde Perssye,And seven stondardes wyth hym.’

‘Awaken, Dowglas,’ cryed the knyght,

‘For thow maste waken wyth wynne;

Yender haue I spyed the prowde Perssye,

And seven stondardes wyth hym.’

23‘Nay by my trowth,’ the Dowglas sayed,‘It ys but a fayned taylle;He durst not loke on my brede bannerFor all Ynglonde so haylle.

‘Nay by my trowth,’ the Dowglas sayed,

‘It ys but a fayned taylle;

He durst not loke on my brede banner

For all Ynglonde so haylle.

24‘Was I not yesterdaye at the Newe Castell,That stondesso fayre on Tyne?For all the men the Perssy had,He coude not garre me ones to dyne.’

‘Was I not yesterdaye at the Newe Castell,

That stondesso fayre on Tyne?

For all the men the Perssy had,

He coude not garre me ones to dyne.’

25He stepped owt at his pavelyon-dore,To loke and it were lesse:‘Araye yow, lordynges, one and all,For here bygynnes no peysse.

He stepped owt at his pavelyon-dore,

To loke and it were lesse:

‘Araye yow, lordynges, one and all,

For here bygynnes no peysse.

26‘The yerle of Mentaye, thow arte my eme,The fowarde I gyve to the:The yerlle of Huntlay, cawte and kene,He schall be wyththe.

‘The yerle of Mentaye, thow arte my eme,

The fowarde I gyve to the:

The yerlle of Huntlay, cawte and kene,

He schall be wyththe.

27‘The lorde of Bowghan, in armure bryght,On the other hand he schall be;Lord Jhonstoune and Lorde Maxwell,They to schall be wythme.

‘The lorde of Bowghan, in armure bryght,

On the other hand he schall be;

Lord Jhonstoune and Lorde Maxwell,

They to schall be wythme.

28‘Swynton, fayre fylde vpon your pryde!To batell make yow bowenSyrDavy Skotte, SyrWater Stewarde,SyrJhon of Agurstone!’

‘Swynton, fayre fylde vpon your pryde!

To batell make yow bowen

SyrDavy Skotte, SyrWater Stewarde,

SyrJhon of Agurstone!’

29The Perssy cam byfore hys oste,Wych was ever a gentyll knyght;Vpon the Dowglas lowde can he crye,‘I wyll holde that I haue hyght.

The Perssy cam byfore hys oste,

Wych was ever a gentyll knyght;

Vpon the Dowglas lowde can he crye,

‘I wyll holde that I haue hyght.

30‘For thou haste brente Northomberlonde,And done me grete envye;For thys trespasse thou hast me done,The tone of vs schall dye.’

‘For thou haste brente Northomberlonde,

And done me grete envye;

For thys trespasse thou hast me done,

The tone of vs schall dye.’

31The Dowglas answerde hym agayne,Wythgrett wurdesvpon hye,And sayd, I haue twenty agaynst thy one,Byholde, and thou maste see.

The Dowglas answerde hym agayne,

Wythgrett wurdesvpon hye,

And sayd, I haue twenty agaynst thy one,

Byholde, and thou maste see.

32Wyth that the Perssy was grevyd sore,For soth as I yow saye;He lyghted dowyn vpon his foote,And schoote hys horsse clene awaye.

Wyth that the Perssy was grevyd sore,

For soth as I yow saye;

He lyghted dowyn vpon his foote,

And schoote hys horsse clene awaye.

33Euery man sawe that he dyd soo,That ryall was euer in rowght;Euery man schoote hys horsse hym froo,And lyght hym rowynde abowght.

Euery man sawe that he dyd soo,

That ryall was euer in rowght;

Euery man schoote hys horsse hym froo,

And lyght hym rowynde abowght.

34Thus SyrHary Perssye toke the fylde,For soth as I yow saye;Jhesu Cryste in hevyn on hyghtDyd helpe hym well that daye.

Thus SyrHary Perssye toke the fylde,

For soth as I yow saye;

Jhesu Cryste in hevyn on hyght

Dyd helpe hym well that daye.

35But nyne thowzand, ther was no moo,The cronykle wyll not layne;Forty thowsande of Skottes and fowreThat day fowght them agayne.

But nyne thowzand, ther was no moo,

The cronykle wyll not layne;

Forty thowsande of Skottes and fowre

That day fowght them agayne.

36But when the batell byganne to ioyne,In hast ther cam a knyght;The letters fayre furth hath he tayne,And thus he sayd full ryght:

But when the batell byganne to ioyne,

In hast ther cam a knyght;

The letters fayre furth hath he tayne,

And thus he sayd full ryght:

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

‘My lorde your father he gretes yow well,

Wyth many a noble knyght;

He desyres yow to byde

That he may see thys fyght.

38‘The Baron of Grastoke ys com out of the west,Wyth hym a noble companye;All they loge at your fathers thys nyght,And the batell fayne wolde they see.’

‘The Baron of Grastoke ys com out of the west,

Wyth hym a noble companye;

All they loge at your fathers thys nyght,

And the batell fayne wolde they see.’

39‘For Jhesus love,’ sayd Syr Harye Perssy,‘That dyed for yow and me,Wende to my lorde my father agayne,And saye thow sawe me not wythyee.

‘For Jhesus love,’ sayd Syr Harye Perssy,

‘That dyed for yow and me,

Wende to my lorde my father agayne,

And saye thow sawe me not wythyee.

40‘My trowth ys plyght to yonne Skottysh knyght,It nedes me not to layne,That I schulde byde hym vpon thys bent,And I haue hys trowth agayne.

‘My trowth ys plyght to yonne Skottysh knyght,

It nedes me not to layne,

That I schulde byde hym vpon thys bent,

And I haue hys trowth agayne.

41‘And if that I w[e]ynde of thys growende,For soth, onfowghten awaye,He wolde me call but a kowarde knyghtIn hys londe another daye.

‘And if that I w[e]ynde of thys growende,

For soth, onfowghten awaye,

He wolde me call but a kowarde knyght

In hys londe another daye.

42‘Yet had I lever to be rynde and rente,By Mary, that mykkel maye,Then ever my manhood schulde be reprovydWyth a Skotte another day.

‘Yet had I lever to be rynde and rente,

By Mary, that mykkel maye,

Then ever my manhood schulde be reprovyd

Wyth a Skotte another day.

43‘Wherfore schote, archars, for my sake,And let scharpe arowes flee;Mynstrells, playe vp for your waryson,And well quyt it schall bee.

‘Wherfore schote, archars, for my sake,

And let scharpe arowes flee;

Mynstrells, playe vp for your waryson,

And well quyt it schall bee.

44‘Euery man thynke on hys trewe-love,And marke hym to the Trenite;For to God I make myne avoweThys day wyll I not flee.’

‘Euery man thynke on hys trewe-love,

And marke hym to the Trenite;

For to God I make myne avowe

Thys day wyll I not flee.’

45The blodye harte in the Dowglas armes,Hys standerde stode on hye,That euery man myght full well knowe;By syde stode starrës thre.

The blodye harte in the Dowglas armes,

Hys standerde stode on hye,

That euery man myght full well knowe;

By syde stode starrës thre.

46The whyte lyon on the Ynglyssh perte,For soth as I yow sayne,The lucettesand the cressawntesboth;The Skottesfavght them agayne.

The whyte lyon on the Ynglyssh perte,

For soth as I yow sayne,

The lucettesand the cressawntesboth;

The Skottesfavght them agayne.

47Vpon Sent Androwe lowde can they crye,And thrysse they schowte on hyght,And syne merked them one owr Ynglysshe men,As I haue tolde yow ryght.

Vpon Sent Androwe lowde can they crye,

And thrysse they schowte on hyght,

And syne merked them one owr Ynglysshe men,

As I haue tolde yow ryght.

48Sent George the bryght, owr ladyes knyght,To name they were full fayne;Owr Ynglyssh men they cryde on hyght,And thrysse the schowtte agayne.

Sent George the bryght, owr ladyes knyght,

To name they were full fayne;

Owr Ynglyssh men they cryde on hyght,

And thrysse the schowtte agayne.

49Wyth that scharpe arowes bygan to flee,I tell yow in sertayne;Men of armes byganne to joyne,Many a dowghty man was ther slayne.

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.

50The Perssy and the Dowglas mette,That ether of other was fayne;They swapped together whyll that the swette,Wythswordesof fyne collayne:

The Perssy and the Dowglas mette,

That ether of other was fayne;

They swapped together whyll that the swette,

Wythswordesof fyne collayne:

51Tyll the bloode from ther bassonnettesranne,As the roke doth in the rayne;‘Yelde the to me,’ sayd the Dowglas,‘Or ellesthow schalt be slayne.

Tyll the bloode from ther bassonnettesranne,

As the roke doth in the rayne;

‘Yelde the to me,’ sayd the Dowglas,

‘Or ellesthow schalt be slayne.

52‘For I see by thy bryght bassonet,Thow arte summan of myght;And so I do by thy burnysshed brande;Thow arte an yerle, or ellesa knyght.’

‘For I see by thy bryght bassonet,

Thow arte summan of myght;

And so I do by thy burnysshed brande;

Thow arte an yerle, or ellesa knyght.’

53‘By my good faythe,’ sayd the noble Perssye,‘Now haste thow rede full ryght;Yet wyll I never yelde me to the,Whyll I may stonde and fyght.’

‘By my good faythe,’ sayd the noble Perssye,

‘Now haste thow rede full ryght;

Yet wyll I never yelde me to the,

Whyll I may stonde and fyght.’

54They swapped together whyll that they swette,Wyth swordës scharpe and long;Ych on other so faste thee beette,Tyll ther helmes cam in peyses dowyn.

They swapped together whyll that they swette,

Wyth swordës scharpe and long;

Ych on other so faste thee beette,

Tyll ther helmes cam in peyses dowyn.

55The Perssy was a man of strenghth,I tell yow in thys stounde;He smote the Dowglas at the swordës lengthThat he felle to the growynde.

The Perssy was a man of strenghth,

I tell yow in thys stounde;

He smote the Dowglas at the swordës length

That he felle to the growynde.

56The sworde was scharpe, and sore can byte,I tell yow in sertayne;To the harte he cowde hym smyte,Thus was the Dowglas slayne.

The sworde was scharpe, and sore can byte,

I tell yow in sertayne;

To the harte he cowde hym smyte,

Thus was the Dowglas slayne.

57The stonderdesstode styll on eke a syde,Wyth many a grevous grone;Ther the fowght the day, and all the nyght,And many a dowghty man was slayne.

The stonderdesstode styll on eke a syde,

Wyth many a grevous grone;

Ther the fowght the day, and all the nyght,

And many a dowghty man was slayne.

58Ther was no freke that ther wolde flye,But styffely in stowre can stond,Ychone hewyng on other whyll they myght drye,Wyth many a bayllefull bronde.

Ther was no freke that ther wolde flye,

But styffely in stowre can stond,

Ychone hewyng on other whyll they myght drye,

Wyth many a bayllefull bronde.

59Ther was slayne vpon the Skottës syde,For soth and sertenly,SyrJames a Dowglas ther was slayne,That day that he cowde dye.

Ther was slayne vpon the Skottës syde,

For soth and sertenly,

SyrJames a Dowglas ther was slayne,

That day that he cowde dye.

60The yerlle of Mentaye he was slayne,Grysely groned vpon the growynd;SyrDavy Skotte, SyrWater Stewarde,SyrJhon of Agurstoune.

The yerlle of Mentaye he was slayne,

Grysely groned vpon the growynd;

SyrDavy Skotte, SyrWater Stewarde,

SyrJhon of Agurstoune.

61SyrCharllës Morrey in that place,That never a fote wold flee;SyrHewe Maxwell, a lorde he was,Wyththe Dowglas dyd he dye.

SyrCharllës Morrey in that place,

That never a fote wold flee;

SyrHewe Maxwell, a lorde he was,

Wyththe Dowglas dyd he dye.

62Ther was slayne vpon the Skottës syde,For soth as I yow saye,Of fowre and forty thowsande ScottesWent but eyghtene awaye.

Ther was slayne vpon the Skottës syde,

For soth as I yow saye,

Of fowre and forty thowsande Scottes

Went but eyghtene awaye.

63Ther was slayne vpon the Ynglysshe syde,For soth and sertenlye,A gentell knyght, SyrJhon Fechewe,Yt was the more pety.

Ther was slayne vpon the Ynglysshe syde,

For soth and sertenlye,

A gentell knyght, SyrJhon Fechewe,

Yt was the more pety.

64SyrJames Hardbotell ther was slayne,For hym ther hartes were sore;The gentyll Lovell ther was slayne,That the Perssys standerd bore.

SyrJames Hardbotell ther was slayne,

For hym ther hartes were sore;

The gentyll Lovell ther was slayne,

That the Perssys standerd bore.

65Ther was slayne vpon the Ynglyssh perte,For soth as I yow saye,Of nyne thowsand Ynglyssh menFyve hondert cam awaye.

Ther was slayne vpon the Ynglyssh perte,

For soth as I yow saye,

Of nyne thowsand Ynglyssh men

Fyve hondert cam awaye.

66The other were slayne in the fylde;Cryste kepe ther sowlles from wo!Seyng ther was so fewe fryndesAgaynst so many a foo.

The other were slayne in the fylde;

Cryste kepe ther sowlles from wo!

Seyng ther was so fewe fryndes

Agaynst so many a foo.

67Then on the morne they mayde them beerysOf byrch and haysell graye;Many a wydowe, wythwepyng teyres,Ther makes they fette awaye.

Then on the morne they mayde them beerys

Of byrch and haysell graye;

Many a wydowe, wythwepyng teyres,

Ther makes they fette awaye.

68Thys fraye bygan at Otterborne,Bytwene the nyght and the day;Ther the Dowglas lost hys lyffe,And the Perssy was lede awaye.

Thys fraye bygan at Otterborne,

Bytwene the nyght and the day;

Ther the Dowglas lost hys lyffe,

And the Perssy was lede awaye.

69Then was ther a Scottysh prisoner tayne,SyrHewe Mongomery was hys name;For soth as I yow saye,He borowed the Perssy home agayne.

Then was ther a Scottysh prisoner tayne,

SyrHewe Mongomery was hys name;

For soth as I yow saye,

He borowed the Perssy home agayne.

70Now let vs all for the Perssy prayeTo Jhesu most of myght,To bryng hys sowlle to the blysse of heven,For he was a gentyll knyght.

Now let vs all for the Perssy praye

To Jhesu most of myght,

To bryng hys sowlle to the blysse of heven,

For he was a gentyll knyght.

a.Herd’s MS., I, 149, II, 30; Herd’s Scottish Songs, 1776, I, 153.b.Scott’s Minstrelsy, I, 31, 1802, “corrected” from Herd, 1776, “by a MS. copy.”

1It fell and about the Lammas time,When husbandmen do win their hay,Earl Douglass is to the English woods,And a’with him to fetch a prey.2He has chosen the Lindsays light,With them the gallant Gordons gay,And the Earl of Fyfe, withouten strife,And Sir Hugh Montgomery upon a grey.3They have taken Northumberland,And sae hae they the north shire,And the Otter Dale, they hae burnt it hale,And set it a’into fire.4Out then spake a bonny boy,That servd ane o Earl Douglass kin;Methinks I see an English host,A-coming branken us upon.5‘If this be true, my little boy,And it be troth that thou tells me,The brawest bower in OtterburnThis day shall be thy morning-fee.6‘But if it be fase, my little boy,But and a lie that thou tells me,On the highest tree that’s in OtterburnWith my ain hands I’ll hing thee high.’7The boy’s taen out his little penknife,That hanget low down by his gare,And he gaed Earl Douglass a deadly wound,Alack! a deep wound and a sare.8Earl Douglas said to Sir Hugh Montgomery,Take thou the vanguard o the three,And bury me at yon braken-bush,That stands upon yon lilly lee.9Then Percy and Montgomery met,And weel a wot they warna fain;They swaped swords, and they twa swat,And ay the blood ran down between.10‘O yield thee, yield thee, Percy,’ he said,‘Or else I vow I’ll lay thee low;’‘Whom to shall I yield,’ said Earl Percy,‘Now that I see it maun be so?’11‘O yield thee to yon braken-bush,That grows upon yon lilly lee;. . . . . . .. . . . . . .12‘I winna yield to a braken-bush,Nor yet will I unto a brier;But I would yield to Earl Douglass,Or Sir Hugh Montgomery, if he was here.’13As soon as he knew it was Montgomery,He stuck his sword’s point in the ground,And Sir Hugh Montgomery was a courteous knight,And he quickly broght him by the hand.14This deed was done at Otterburn,About the breaking of the day;Earl Douglass was buried at the braken-bush,And Percy led captive away.

1It fell and about the Lammas time,When husbandmen do win their hay,Earl Douglass is to the English woods,And a’with him to fetch a prey.

It fell and about the Lammas time,

When husbandmen do win their hay,

Earl Douglass is to the English woods,

And a’with him to fetch a prey.

2He has chosen the Lindsays light,With them the gallant Gordons gay,And the Earl of Fyfe, withouten strife,And Sir Hugh Montgomery upon a grey.

He has chosen the Lindsays light,

With them the gallant Gordons gay,

And the Earl of Fyfe, withouten strife,

And Sir Hugh Montgomery upon a grey.

3They have taken Northumberland,And sae hae they the north shire,And the Otter Dale, they hae burnt it hale,And set it a’into fire.

They have taken Northumberland,

And sae hae they the north shire,

And the Otter Dale, they hae burnt it hale,

And set it a’into fire.

4Out then spake a bonny boy,That servd ane o Earl Douglass kin;Methinks I see an English host,A-coming branken us upon.

Out then spake a bonny boy,

That servd ane o Earl Douglass kin;

Methinks I see an English host,

A-coming branken us upon.

5‘If this be true, my little boy,And it be troth that thou tells me,The brawest bower in OtterburnThis day shall be thy morning-fee.

‘If this be true, my little boy,

And it be troth that thou tells me,

The brawest bower in Otterburn

This day shall be thy morning-fee.

6‘But if it be fase, my little boy,But and a lie that thou tells me,On the highest tree that’s in OtterburnWith my ain hands I’ll hing thee high.’

‘But if it be fase, my little boy,

But and a lie that thou tells me,

On the highest tree that’s in Otterburn

With my ain hands I’ll hing thee high.’

7The boy’s taen out his little penknife,That hanget low down by his gare,And he gaed Earl Douglass a deadly wound,Alack! a deep wound and a sare.

The boy’s taen out his little penknife,

That hanget low down by his gare,

And he gaed Earl Douglass a deadly wound,

Alack! a deep wound and a sare.

8Earl Douglas said to Sir Hugh Montgomery,Take thou the vanguard o the three,And bury me at yon braken-bush,That stands upon yon lilly lee.

Earl Douglas said to Sir Hugh Montgomery,

Take thou the vanguard o the three,

And bury me at yon braken-bush,

That stands upon yon lilly lee.

9Then Percy and Montgomery met,And weel a wot they warna fain;They swaped swords, and they twa swat,And ay the blood ran down between.

Then Percy and Montgomery met,

And weel a wot they warna fain;

They swaped swords, and they twa swat,

And ay the blood ran down between.

10‘O yield thee, yield thee, Percy,’ he said,‘Or else I vow I’ll lay thee low;’‘Whom to shall I yield,’ said Earl Percy,‘Now that I see it maun be so?’

‘O yield thee, yield thee, Percy,’ he said,

‘Or else I vow I’ll lay thee low;’

‘Whom to shall I yield,’ said Earl Percy,

‘Now that I see it maun be so?’

11‘O yield thee to yon braken-bush,That grows upon yon lilly lee;. . . . . . .. . . . . . .

‘O yield thee to yon braken-bush,

That grows upon yon lilly lee;

. . . . . . .

12‘I winna yield to a braken-bush,Nor yet will I unto a brier;But I would yield to Earl Douglass,Or Sir Hugh Montgomery, if he was here.’

‘I winna yield to a braken-bush,

Nor yet will I unto a brier;

But I would yield to Earl Douglass,

Or Sir Hugh Montgomery, if he was here.’

13As soon as he knew it was Montgomery,He stuck his sword’s point in the ground,And Sir Hugh Montgomery was a courteous knight,And he quickly broght him by the hand.

As soon as he knew it was Montgomery,

He stuck his sword’s point in the ground,

And Sir Hugh Montgomery was a courteous knight,

And he quickly broght him by the hand.

14This deed was done at Otterburn,About the breaking of the day;Earl Douglass was buried at the braken-bush,And Percy led captive away.

This deed was done at Otterburn,

About the breaking of the day;

Earl Douglass was buried at the braken-bush,

And Percy led captive away.

Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border, 1833, I, 345.Bcompleted by two copies “obtained from the recitation of old persons residing at the head of Ettrick Forest.”

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