168FLODDEN FIELD

From Deloney’s Pleasant History of John Winchcomb, in his younger yeares called Jacke of Newberie, etc., London, 1633; reprinted by J. O. Halliwell, London, 1859, p. 48.

Printed in Ritson’s Ancient Songs, 1790, p. 115; Evans’s Old Ballads, 1810, III, 55.

A booke called Jack of Newbery was entered to Thomas Millington, March 7, 1597: Arber, Stationers’ Registers, III, 81. The edition of 1633, the earliest which Mr Halliwell-Phillipps had met with, was the ninth, published by Cuthbert Wright. The author has introduced several pieces of verse into his tale, two of them popular ballads, ‘The Fair Flower of Northumberland’ and this of Flodden, of which Deloney says, “in disgrace of the Scots, and in remembrance of the famous atchieved historie, the commons of England made this song, which to this day is not forgotten of many:” p. 47.

King James has made a vow to be in London on St James’s day. Queen Margaret begs him to keep faith with her brother Henry, and reminds him that England is hard to win; for which James says she shall die. Lord Thomas Howard, the queen’s chamberlain, comes to the defence of his mistress, but the king in his rage declares that he shall be hanged and she burned as soon as he comes back. But James never came back; he was slain at Bramstone Green with twelve thousand of his men.

1, 2. St James’s day is selected, as being the king’s. King James’s letter to King Henry is dated the 26th of July, the day following St James’s day, and the Scottish herald delivered it in France, and announced war to the king of England, in consequence of the unsatisfactory answer, on the 12th of August, or shortly before.

3–5. Queen Margaret’s remonstrance is historical. James, says Lindsay, would “give no credence to no counsel, sign nor token that made against his purpose, but refused all godly counsel which was for the weal of his crown and country; neither would he use any counsel of his wise and prudent wife, Margaret, queen of Scotland, for no prayer nor supplication that she could make him.... She assured him, if he past in England at that time, that he would get battle. Yet this wise and loving counsel could not be taken in good part by him, because she was the king of England’s sister.” Cronicles, 1814, p. 267 f.

6. The Earl of Surrey, uncle by marriage to Margaret Tudor, had the charge of escorting her to Scotland in 1503, and this is ground enough for the ballad’s making him her chamberlain ten years later.

8. “This battle was called the Field of Flodden by the Scotsmen and Brankston [Bramstone] by the Englishmen, because it was stricken on the hills of Flodden beside a town called Brankston; and was stricken the ninth day of September, 1513.” Lesley, History, 1830, p. 96.

10. Hall says that the English slew “twelve thousand, at the least, of the best gentlemen and flower of Scotland.” The gazette of the battle (Pinkerton’s History, II, 457), Polydore Vergil, and modern Scottish historians, say ten thousand. Among these were twelve earls, thirteen lords, and many other persons of high rank.

12. ‘Iack with a feather’ is said in contempt of the Scottish king’s levity or foolhardiness. “Then was the body bowelled, embawmed and cered:” Hall, p. 564, ed. 1809. “His body was bowelled, rebowelled, and enclosed in lead,” “lapped in lead:” Stowe,Chronicle, p. 494 b, ed. 1631; Survey, Book III, p. 81 a, ed. 1710. Fair Rosamond’s bones, when they were exhumed at Godstow, says Leland, were closed in lead and within that closed in leather: Dugdale’s Monasticon, ed. 1823, IV, 365, No VIII.

In the letter sent to Henry VIII in France James included the slaughter of Andrew Barton among the unredressed grievances of which he had to complain. A few days before the battle of Flodden, Lord Thomas Howard, then admiral, used the occasion of his father’s dispatching a herald to the King of Scots to say that “inasmuch as the said king had divers and many times caused the said lord to be called at days of true to make redress for Andrew Barton, a pirate of the sea long before that vanquished by the same Lord Admiral, he was now come, in his own proper person, to be in the vanguard of the field, to justify the death of the said Andrew against him and all his people, and would see what could be laid to his charge the said day:” Hall’s Chronicle, ed. 1809, p. 558.

There is a slight resemblance in one or two particulars, such as might be expected from similarity of circumstances, between this ballad and ‘Durham Field.’ In the latter the King of Scots swears that he will hold his parliament in leeve London, st. 6. A squire warns him that there are bold yeomen in England; the king is angry, draws his sword, and kills the squire, 7–9. In ‘Scotish Ffeilde,’ Percy Folio, Hales and Furnivall, I, 217,[217]the French king says there is nothing left in England save millers and mass-priests, v. 109; and in the poem on Flodden, reprinted by Weber, and recently by Federer,[218]Lord Home makes this same assertion, Weber, p. 10, 187–92; Federer, p. 8, sts 46, 47. Cf. ‘Durham Field,’ p. 282.

The forged manuscript formerly in the possession of J. Payne Collier, containing thirty ballads alleged to be of the early part of the seventeenth century, has for the second piece in the volume a transcript of this ballad, with variations.

The battle of Flodden called out a great deal of verse. The most notable pieces are two already referred to, and a third which will be given here in an appendix; the less important will be found in Weber’s volume.

1King Jamie hath made a vow,Keepe it well if he may!That he will be at lovely LondonUpon Saint James his day.2‘Upon Saint James his day at noone,At faire London will I be,And all the lords in merrie Scotland,They shall dine there with me.’3Then bespake good Queene Margaret,The teares fell from her eye:‘Leave off these warres, most noble king,Keepe your fidelitie.4‘The water runnes swift and wondrous deepe,From bottome unto the brimme;My brother Henry hath men good enough;England is hard to winne.’5‘Away,’ quoth he, ‘with this silly foole!In prison fast let her lie:For she is come of the English bloud,And for these words she shall dye.’6With that bespake Lord Thomas Howard,The queenes chamberlaine that day:‘If that you put Queene Margaret to death,Scotland shall rue it alway.’7Then in a rage King Jamie did say,‘Away with this foolish mome!He shall be hanged, and the other be burned,So soone as I come home.’8At Flodden Field the Scots came in,Which made our English men faine;At Bramstone Greene this battaile was seene,There was King Jamie slaine.9Then presently the Scots did flie,Their cannons they left behind;Their ensignes gay were won all away,Our souldiers did beate them blinde.10To tell you plaine, twelve thousand were slaineThat to the fight did stand,And many prisoners tooke that day,The best in all Scotland.11That day made many [a] fatherlesse child,And many a widow poore,And many a Scottish gay ladySate weeping in her bower.12Jack with a feather was lapt all in leather,His boastings were all in vaine;He had such a chance, with a new morrice-dance,He never went home againe.

1King Jamie hath made a vow,Keepe it well if he may!That he will be at lovely LondonUpon Saint James his day.

King Jamie hath made a vow,

Keepe it well if he may!

That he will be at lovely London

Upon Saint James his day.

2‘Upon Saint James his day at noone,At faire London will I be,And all the lords in merrie Scotland,They shall dine there with me.’

‘Upon Saint James his day at noone,

At faire London will I be,

And all the lords in merrie Scotland,

They shall dine there with me.’

3Then bespake good Queene Margaret,The teares fell from her eye:‘Leave off these warres, most noble king,Keepe your fidelitie.

Then bespake good Queene Margaret,

The teares fell from her eye:

‘Leave off these warres, most noble king,

Keepe your fidelitie.

4‘The water runnes swift and wondrous deepe,From bottome unto the brimme;My brother Henry hath men good enough;England is hard to winne.’

‘The water runnes swift and wondrous deepe,

From bottome unto the brimme;

My brother Henry hath men good enough;

England is hard to winne.’

5‘Away,’ quoth he, ‘with this silly foole!In prison fast let her lie:For she is come of the English bloud,And for these words she shall dye.’

‘Away,’ quoth he, ‘with this silly foole!

In prison fast let her lie:

For she is come of the English bloud,

And for these words she shall dye.’

6With that bespake Lord Thomas Howard,The queenes chamberlaine that day:‘If that you put Queene Margaret to death,Scotland shall rue it alway.’

With that bespake Lord Thomas Howard,

The queenes chamberlaine that day:

‘If that you put Queene Margaret to death,

Scotland shall rue it alway.’

7Then in a rage King Jamie did say,‘Away with this foolish mome!He shall be hanged, and the other be burned,So soone as I come home.’

Then in a rage King Jamie did say,

‘Away with this foolish mome!

He shall be hanged, and the other be burned,

So soone as I come home.’

8At Flodden Field the Scots came in,Which made our English men faine;At Bramstone Greene this battaile was seene,There was King Jamie slaine.

At Flodden Field the Scots came in,

Which made our English men faine;

At Bramstone Greene this battaile was seene,

There was King Jamie slaine.

9Then presently the Scots did flie,Their cannons they left behind;Their ensignes gay were won all away,Our souldiers did beate them blinde.

Then presently the Scots did flie,

Their cannons they left behind;

Their ensignes gay were won all away,

Our souldiers did beate them blinde.

10To tell you plaine, twelve thousand were slaineThat to the fight did stand,And many prisoners tooke that day,The best in all Scotland.

To tell you plaine, twelve thousand were slaine

That to the fight did stand,

And many prisoners tooke that day,

The best in all Scotland.

11That day made many [a] fatherlesse child,And many a widow poore,And many a Scottish gay ladySate weeping in her bower.

That day made many [a] fatherlesse child,

And many a widow poore,

And many a Scottish gay lady

Sate weeping in her bower.

12Jack with a feather was lapt all in leather,His boastings were all in vaine;He had such a chance, with a new morrice-dance,He never went home againe.

Jack with a feather was lapt all in leather,

His boastings were all in vaine;

He had such a chance, with a new morrice-dance,

He never went home againe.

31. he spake.

The copy followed by Ritson puts st. 11 after 5. The principal variations of the Collier copy may be given, though they are without authority or merit.

After 2:March out, march out, my merry men,Of hie or low degree;I’le weare the crowne in London towne,And that you soone shall see.

After 2:

March out, march out, my merry men,

Of hie or low degree;

I’le weare the crowne in London towne,

And that you soone shall see.

44. To venture life and limme.

Then doe not goe from faire Scotland,But stay thy realm within;Your power, I weene, is all to weake,And England hard to winne.

Then doe not goe from faire Scotland,

But stay thy realm within;

Your power, I weene, is all to weake,

And England hard to winne.

51. this sillie mome.

72. this other mome.

After 8:His bodie never could be found,When he was over throwne,And he that wore faire Scotlands crowneThat day could not be knowne.For 12, to adapt the piece to the seventeenth century:Now heaven we laude that never moreSuch tiding shall come to hand;Our king, by othe, is king of bothEngland and faire Scotland.

After 8:His bodie never could be found,When he was over throwne,And he that wore faire Scotlands crowneThat day could not be knowne.

After 8:

His bodie never could be found,

When he was over throwne,

And he that wore faire Scotlands crowne

That day could not be knowne.

For 12, to adapt the piece to the seventeenth century:Now heaven we laude that never moreSuch tiding shall come to hand;Our king, by othe, is king of bothEngland and faire Scotland.

For 12, to adapt the piece to the seventeenth century:

Now heaven we laude that never more

Such tiding shall come to hand;

Our king, by othe, is king of both

England and faire Scotland.

a.‘Flodden Ffeilde,’ Percy MS., p. 117; Hales and Furnivall, I, 313.b.Harleian MS. 293, fol. 55.c.Harleian MS. 367, fol. 120.

A text made frombandcis printed by Weber, Flodden Field, p. 366, and by R. H. Evans, Old Ballads, 1810, III, 58.b,clack all that follows 102 except 103, with which all three copies alike end. This stanza makes a natural conclusion to the vindication of Lancashire, Cheshire and the Earl of Derby, and what intervenes ina, after 102, seems to be an interpolation. Nevertheless I have preferred to give the Percy text (though the others are not inferior to it, and possess the unity which has to be brought about in this case by transferring the last stanza), on account of the pleasing story How Rowland Egerton came to the lordship of Ridley, 107–119, which would make no bad ballad by itself.

At the battle of Flodden, the right wing of the van, commanded by Sir Edmund Howard, the third son of the Earl of Surrey, was routed by the Scots under Lord Home, Chamberlain of Scotland, and the Earl of Huntly. “Edmund Howard had with him a thousand Cheshire men, and five hundred Lancashire men, and many gentlemen of Yorkshire, on the right wing of the lord Howard; and the Lord Chamberlain of Scotland, with many lords, did set on him, and the Cheshire and Lancashire men never abode stroke, and few of the gentlemen of Yorkshire abode, but fled.... And the said Edmund Howard was thrice felled, and to his reliefthe lord Dacre came, with fifteen hundred men.”[219]On the other hand, the Cheshire and Lancashire men of the extreme left, under command of Sir Edward Stanley, discomfited the Scottish division of Lennox and Argyle. King Henry received the news of the victory while he was lying before Tournay, “and highly praised the Earl, and the Lord Admiral and his son, and all the gentlemen and commons that were at that valiant enterprise; howbeit, the king had a secret letter that the Cheshire men fled from Sir Edmund Howard, which letter caused great heart-burning and many words; but the king thankfully accepted all thing, and would no man to be dispraised.”[220]

This poem, a history in the ballad style, was composed to vindicate the behavior of Lancashire and Cheshire at Flodden, and to glorify the Stanleys;[221]in the accomplishment of which objects it becomes incumbent upon the minstrel to expose the malice of the Earl of Surrey, to whom he imputes the “wrong writing” which caused such heart-burning.

The Earl of Surrey sends a letter by a herald to King Henry, then at Tournay. The king asks the news before he breaks the seal, and who fought and who fled. The herald answers that King James is slain, and that Lancashire and Cheshire fled; no man of the Earl of Derby’s durst face the foe. The king opens the letter, which confirms the herald’s report, and calls for the Earl of Derby. Sir Ralph Egerton suggests that if Lancashire and Cheshire fled, it must have been because they had a Howard, and not a Stanley, for their captain. The Earl of Derby comes before the king, and says the same; let him have Lancashire and Cheshire, and he will burn up all Scotland and conquer to Paris gate. The king says cowards will fight to retrieve what they have lost. We were never cowards, rejoins Derby; who brought in your father at Milford Haven? (It was not precisely the Stanleys.) The king turns away; the Duke of Buckingham is ready to lay his life that all this comes from a false writing of the Earl of Surrey.[222]Derby is not to be comforted, and breaks out in farewells to all his kith and kin, Edward Stanley, John Stanley, and many more; they must be slain, for they never would flee. The Earl of Shrewsbury bids him take heart; Derby goes on with farewells to Lancaster, Latham, and all familiar places. In the midst of his exclamations, James Garsed, “Long Jamie,” a yeoman of the guard, comes flying to the Earl of Derby for protection: he had killed two men, and wounded three. Derby’s intercession can do only harm now, but he will ask friends to speak for Jamie. A messenger arrives from the king ordering Long Jamie to be delivered up; he is to be hanged. Buckingham takes Jamie by one arm and Shrewsbury takes him by the other, and with Derby in front and many gentlemen following, they go to the king. Welcome, dukes and earls, says the king, but most welcome of all our traitor, Long Jamie! Jamie, how durst thou show thyself in our presence after slaying thy brethren? Jamie explains that his fellows had called him coward, and bidden him flee to that coward the Earl of Derby. The Earl of Derby had befriended him when he was little and maintained him till he was able to shoot. Then one day a Scottish minstrel brought King Henry a bow which none of his guard could bend. Jamie shot seven times with it, and the eighth time broke it; then told the Scot to pick up the pieces and take them to his king; upon which Henry had made him yeoman of the guard, thanks to His Grace and to the Earl of Derby who had brought him up. And now, to have the earl taunted, to be false to the man who had been true to him—he had rather die. Stand up, Jamie, says the King; have here my charter; but let there be no more fighting while you are in France. Then you must grant me one thing, says Jamie—that he that abuses Lancashire or Cheshire shall die; and the king commands proclamation to be made that any man abusing Lancashire or Cheshire shall have his judgment on the next tree. The next morning comes a messenger from the queen wishing the king joy, for his brother-in-law, King Jamie, is slain. Henry asks again, Who fought and who fled? “Lancashire and Cheshire have done the deed,” is the reply; “had not the Earl of Derby been true to thee, England had been in great hazard.” The king on the moment promotes Edward and John Stanley and ‘Rowland’ Egerton, who had fought with Edward. Buckingham runs for Derby, and the king welcomes the earl, and returns to him all that he had taken from him. But one thinggrieveth me still, says Derby—to have been called coward yesterday. “It was a wrong writing that came from the Earl of Surrey,” says the king, “but I shall teach him to know his prince.” Derby asks no more than to be judge over Surrey, and the king makes him so; as he says, so it shall be. “Then his life is saved,” says the earl; “if my uncle slew his father” (but, as before said, there was no occasion for uneasiness on that score), “he would have taken vengeance on me.” And so the glory is all shifted to Derby, and nothing remains for Surrey.

The minstrel goes on to speak of the surrender of Tournay, and then of an essay of the king’s to reward an Egerton for good service done.[223]Egerton would be glad to have his reward in Cheshire. The king has nothing there to give but five mills at Chester; Egerton does not wish to be called a miller. The king offers the forest of Snowdon; Egerton, always kneeling on his knee, does not wish to be called a ranger. Nothing will please thee, Egerton, says the king; but Egerton asks for Ridley in Cheshire, and gets it.

The last twelve verses profess to enumerate Henry Eighth’s victories in France: ‘Hans and Gynye’ (neither of which I recognize, unless Gynye stands for Guinegatte, the Battle of the Spurs), Tournay and Thérouanne, these in the campaign of 1513, and Boulogne and Montreuil[224]during the invasion of 1544.

1Now let vss talke of [the] Mount of Flodden,Fforsooth such is our chance,And let vs tell what tydings the Ear[l]e of SurreySent to our kinginto France.2The earle he hath a writting made,And sealed it with his owne hand;From the Newcastle vpon TineThe herald passed from the land.3And after to Callice hee arriued,Like a noble leed of high degree,And then to Turwin soone he hyed,There he thought to haue found KingHenery.4But there the walls were beaten downe,And our English soldiers therin laine;Sith to Turnay the way hee nume,Wheras lay the emperour of Almaine,And there he found the kingof England,Blessed Iesus, preservethat name!5When the herald came before our king,Lowlye he fell downe on his knee,And said, Christ, christen king,that on the cross dyed,Noble KingHenery, this day thy speed may bee!6The first wordthat the prince did minge,Said, Welcome, herald, out of England, to me!How fares my leeds? how fares my lords?My knights, my esquiers, in their degree?7‘Heere greeteth you well your owne leaetenant,The Honorable Erle of Surrey;He bidds you in Ffrance to venter your chance,For slaine is your brother, KingIamye,And att louelie London you shall him finde,My comelye prince, in the presence of thee.’8Then bespake our comlye king,Said, Who did fight and who did flee?And who bore him best of the Mount of Fflodden?And who was false, and who was true to me?9‘Lancashire and Cheshire,’ sayd the messenger,‘Cleane they be fled and gone;There was nere a man that longd to the Erleof DarbyThat durst looke his enemyes vpon.’10S[t]ill in a study stood our noble king,And tooke the writting in his hand;Shortlye the seale he did vnclose,And readilye he read as he found.11Then bespake our comlye king,And called vpon his chiualree,And said, Who will feitch me the Kingof Man,The HonnorableThomas Erle of Darbye?12He may take Lancashire and Cheshire,That he hath called the cheefe of chiualree;Now falsely are they fled and gone,Neuer a one of them is true to mee!13Then bespake Sir Raphe Egerton, the knight,And lowlye kneeled vpon his knee,And said, My soueraigne lord, KingHenery,If it like your Grace to pardon mee,14If Lancashire and Cheshire be fled and gone,Of those tydings wee may be vnfaine;But I dare lay my life and landeIt was for want of their captaine.15For if the Erle of Derby our captainehad beene,And vs to lead in our arraye,Then noe Lancashire man nor CheshireThat euer wold haue fled awaye.16‘Soe it prooued well,’ said our noble king,‘By himthat deerlye dyed vpon a tree!Now when wee had the most neede,Falslye they serued then to mee.’17Then spake William Brewerton, knight,And lowlye kneeled his prince before,And sayd, My soueraigne king, Henery the Eighth,If your Grace sett by vs soe little store,18Wheresoeuer you come in any feild to fight,Set the Earle of Darby and vs before;Then shall you see wether wee fight or flee,Trew or false whether we be borne.19Compton rowned with our king,And said, Goe wee and leaue the cowards right;‘Heere is my gloue to thee,’ quoth Egerton,‘Compton, if thou be a knight.20‘Take my gloue, and with me fight,Man to man, if thou wilt turne againe;For if our prince were not present right,The one of vs two shold be slaine,21‘And neuerfoote beside the ground goneVntill the one dead shold bee.’Our prince was moued theratt anon,And returned him right teenouslye.22And to him came on the other handThe Honnorable Erle of Darbye;And when he before our prince came,He lowlye kneeled vpon his knee,23And said, Iesu Christ,that on the crosse dyed,This day, noble Henery, thy speed may bee!The first wordthat the kingdid speake,Sayd, Welcome, Kingof Man and Erle of Darbye!24How likest thou Cheshire and Lancashire both,Which were counted cheefe of chiualree?Falslye are they fled and gone,And neuera one is trew to mee.25‘Ifthat be soe,’ said the erle free,‘My leege, therof I am not faine;My comlye prince, rebuke not mee,I was not there to be there captaine.26‘If I had beene their captaine,’ the erle said then,‘I durst haue layd both liffe and landHe neuercame out of Lancashire nor CheshireThat wold haue fledd beside the ground.27‘But if it like your noble GraceA litle boone to grant itt mee,Lett me haue Lancashire and Cheshire both,I desire noe more helpe trulye;28‘If I ffayle to burne vp all Scottland,Take me and hang me vpon a tree!I, I shall conquer to Paris gate,Both comlye castles and towers hye.29‘Wheras the walls beene soe stronge,Lancashire and Cheshire shall beate them downe.’‘By my fathers soule,’ sayd our king,‘And by himthat dyed on the roode,30‘Thou shalt neuerhaue Lancashire nor Cheshire rightAtt thy owne obedyence for to bee!Cowards in a feild felly will fightAgaine to win the victorye.’31‘Wee were neuercowards,’ said the erle,‘By himthat deerlye dyed on tree!Who brought in your father att Milford Hauen?KingHenery the Seuenth forsooth was hee.32‘Thorow the towne of Fortune wee did him bring,And soe convayd him to Shrewsburye,And soe crowned him a noble king;And Richardthat day wee deemed to dye.’33Our prince was greatlye moued atthat worde,And returned him hastilye againe;To comfort the erle came on the other handeThe doughtye Edward, Duk of Buckingam.34‘Plucke vp thy hart, brother Stanlye,And lett nothing greeiue thee!For I dare lay my liffe to weddIt is a false writing of the Erle of Surrey.35‘Sith KingRichardfelle, he neuerloued thee,For thy vnckle slue his father deere,And deerlye deemed him to dye;SirChristopher Savage his standard away did beare.’36‘Alas, brother,’ sayd the Erle of Darbye,‘Woe be the timethat I was made knight,Or were ruler of any lande,Or euer had manhood in feild to fight!37‘Soe bold men in battle as were they,Forsooth had neither lordnor swaine;Ffarwell my vnckle, Sir EdwardStanley!For well I wottthat thou art slaine.38‘Surelye whiles thy liffe wold lastThou woldest neuershrinke beside the plaine;Nor Iohn Stanley,that child soe younge;Well I wottthat thou art slaine.39‘Ffarwell Kighlye! coward was thou neuer;Old Sir Henery, the good knight,I left the[e] ruler of Latham,To be [my] deputye both day and night.40‘Ffarwell Townlye,that was soe true!Andthat noble Ashton of Middelton!And the sad Southwarke,that euerwas sure!For well I wottthat thou art gone.41‘Farwell Ashton vnde[r] Line!And manlye Mullenax! for thou art slaine;For doubtlesse while your liues wold lastYou wold never shun beside the plaine.42‘Ffarwell Adderton with the leaden mall!Well I know thow art deemed to dye;I may take my leaue att you all;The flower of manhoode is gone from mee.43‘Ffarwell Sir John Booth of Barton, knight!Well I knowthat thou art slaine;While thy liffe wold last to fight,Thou wold neuerbe-sids the plaine.44‘Ffarwell Butler, and Sir Bode!Sure you haue beene euerto mee;And soe I knowthat [still] you wold,Ifthat vnslaine you bee.45‘FfarwellChristopher Savage, the wighte!Well I knowthat thou art slaine;For whiles thy life wold last to fight,Thou wold neuer besids the plaine.46‘Ffarwell Dutton, and Sir Dane!You haue beene euertrew to mee;Ffarwell the Baron of Kinderton!Beside the feild thou wold not flee.47‘Ffarwell Ffitton of Gawsworth!Either thou art taken or slaine;Doubtelesse while thy life wold last,Thou wold neuer beside the plaine.’48As they stood talkinge together there,The duke and the erle trulye,Came ffor to comfort him th[e] trew Talbott,And the noble Erle of Shrewsburye.49‘Plucke vp thy hart, sonne Thomas, and be merry,And let noe tydings greeve thee!Am not I godfather to our king?My owne god-sonne forsooth is hee.’50He tooke the Duke of Buckingam by the arme,And the Erle of Sh[r]ewsburye by the other:‘To part with you it is my harme;Farwell, my father and my brother!51‘Farwell Lancaster,that litle towne!Farwell now for euer and aye!Many pore men may pray for my souleWhen they lye weeping in the lane.52‘Ffarwell Latham,that bright bower!Nine towers thou beares on hye,And other nine thou beares on the outer walls;Within thee may be lodged kings three.53‘Ffarwell Knowsley,that litle towerVnderneth the holtes soe hore!Euerwhen I thinke onthat bright bower,Wite me not though my hart be sore.54‘Ffarwell Tocstaffe,that trustyeparke,And the fayre riuerthat runes there beside,There I was wont to chase the hinde and hart!Now therin will I neuerabide.55‘Ffarwell bold Birkhead! there was I boorne,Within the abbey and that monesterye;The sweet covent for mee may mourne;I gaue to you the tythe of Beeston, trulye.56‘Ffarwell Westchester for euermore!And the Watter Gate! it is my owne;I gaue a maceforthe serieant to weare,To waite on the maior, as it is knowne.57‘Will I neuercomethat citye within;But, sonne Edward, thou may clayme it of right:Ffarwell Westhardin! I may thee [call] myn,Knight and lord I was of great might.58‘Sweete sonne Edward, white bookes thou make,And euerhaue pittye on the pore cominaltye!Ffarwell Hope and Hopedale!Mould and Moulesdale, God be with thee!I may take leaue with a sorry cheere,For within thee will I neuer bee.’59As they stoode talking together there,The duke and the lords trulye,Came Iamie Garsed, a yeman of the guard,That had beene brought vp with the Erle of Derbye;Like the devill with his fellowes he had fared,He s[t]icked two, and wounded three.60After, with his sword drawen in his hand,He fled to the noble Earle of Derbye:‘Stand vp, Iamye!’ the erle said,‘These tydings nothing liketh mee.61‘I haue seene the day I cold haue saued thee,Such thirty men if thou hads slaine,And now if I shold speake for thee,Sure thow weret to be slaine.62‘I will once desire my bretheren eche oneThat they will speake for thee.’He prayd the Duke of Buckingam,And alsoe the Erle of Shrewsburye,63Alsoe my lordFitzwater soe wise,And the good LordWillowbye,Sir Rice Ap Thomas, a knight of price;They all spoke for Long Iamye.64They had not stayd but a litle while there,The duke and the erles in their talkinge,But straight to the erle came a messenger,That came latelye from the king,65And badthat Long Iamie shold be sent;There shold neither be grith nor grace,But on a boughe he shold be hanged,In middest the feild, before the erles face.66‘Ifthat be soe,’ said the Erle of Derbye,‘I trust our prince will better bee;Such tydings maketh my hart full heavyeAfore his Grace whenthat wee bee.’67The Duke of Buckingam tooke Iamie by the one arme,And the Erle of Shrewsburye by the other;Afore them they put the Kingof Man,It was the Erle of Darbye and noe other.68The lordFitzwater followed fast,And soe did the lordWillowbyghe;The comfortable Cobham mad great hast;All went with the noble Erle of Derbye.69The hind Hassall hoved on fast,With the lusty Lealand trulye;Soe did Sir AlexanderOsbaston,Came in with the Erle of Derbye.70The royall Ratcliffe,that rude was neuer,And the trustye Trafford, keene to trye,And wight Warburton, out of Cheshire,All came with the Erle of Darbye.71Sir Rice ap Thomas, a knight of Wales,Came with a feirce menye;He bent his bowes on the bent to abyde,And cleane vnsett the gallow-tree.72When they came afore our king,Lowlye they kneeled vpon their knees;The first wordthat our prince did myn,‘Welcome, dukes and erles, to mee!73‘The most welcome hither of allIs our owne traitor, Long Iamie:Iamie, how durst thou be soe boldAs in our presence for to bee?74‘To slay thy bretheren within their hold!Thou was sworne to them, and they to thee.’Then began Long Iamie to speake bold:‘My leege, if it please your Grace to pardon mee,75‘When I was to my suppersett,They called me coward to my face,And of their talking they wold not lett,And thus with them I vpbrayded was.76‘The bade me flee from them apaceTothat coward the Erle of Derbye!When I was litle, and had small grace,He was my helpe and succour trulye.77‘He tooke [me] from my father deere,And keeped me within his wooneTill I was able of my selfeBoth to shoote and picke the stone.78‘Then after, vnder Grenwich, vpon a dayA Scottish minstrell came to thee,And brought a bow of yew to drawe,And all the guard might not stirrthat tree.79‘Then the bow was giuen to the Erle of Derbye,And the erle deliuered it to mee;Seven shoots before your face I shott,And att the eighth in sunder it did flee.80‘Then I bad the Scott bow downe his face,And gather vp the bow, and bring it to his king;Then it liked your noble GraceInto your guard for me to bring.81‘Sithen I haue liued a merry liffe,I thanke your Grace and the Erle of Darbye;But to haue the erle rebuked thus,That my bringer-vp forsooth was hee,82‘I had rather suffer death,’ he said,‘Then be false to the erlethat was true to me.’‘Stand vp Iamie!’ said our king,‘Haue heere my charter, I giue it thee.83‘Let me haue noe more fighting of theeWhilest thou art within Ffrance lande.’‘Then one thing you must grant,’ said Iamie,‘That your word theron may stand:84‘Whosoe rebuketh Lancashire or ChesshireShortlye shall be deemed to dye.’Our kingcomanded a cry i-wisTo be proclaimed hastilye.85‘If the dukes and erles kneele on their knees,Itt getteth on sturr the comonaltye;If wee be vpbrayded thus,Manye a man is like to dye.’The kingsaid, Hethat rebuket Lancashire or CheshireShall haue his iudgment on the next tree.86Then soe they were in restFor the space of a night, as I weene,And on the other day, without leasinge,There came a messenger from the queene.87And when he came before our king,Lowlye he kneeled vpon his knee,And said, Chr[i]st thee saue, our noble king,And thy speed this day may bee!Heere greeteth thee well thy loue and liking,And our honorable queeneand ladye,88And biddeth you in Ffrance to be glad,For slaine is your brother-in-law KingIamie,And att louelye London he shalbe found,My comlye prince, in the presence of thee.89Then bespake our comlye prince,Saiinge, Who did fight and who did flee?And who bare them best of the Mount of Fflodden?And who is false, and who is true to mee?90‘Lancashire and Cheshire,’ said the messenger,‘They haue done the deed with their hand;Had not the Erle of Derbye beene to thee true,In great aduenture had beene all England.’91Then bespake our prince on hye,‘Sir Raphe Egertton, my marshall I make thee;Sir Edward Stanley, thou shalt be a lord,Lord Mounteagle thou shalt bee.92‘Yonge Iohn Stanley shalbe a knight,And he is well worthy for to bee.’The Duke of Buckingham the tydings hard,And shortlye ran to the Erle of Darbye:93‘Brother, plucke vp thy hart and be merrye,And let noe tydings greeve thee!Yesterday, thy men called cowerds were,And this day they haue woone the victorye.’94The duke tooke the erle by the arme,And thus they ledden to the prince [trulye].Seven roods of ground the kinghe came,And sayd, ‘Welcome, Kingof Man and Erle of Derbye!The thingthat I haue taken from thee,I geeve it to thee againe whollye.95‘The manrydden of Lancashire and Cheshire both,Att thy bidding euer to bee;Ffor those men beene true, Thomas, indeed;They beene trew both to thee and mee.’96‘Yett one thing greeveth me,’ said the erle,‘And in my hart maketh me heavye,This day to heare the wan the feild,And yesterday cowards to bee.’97‘It was a wronge wryting,’ sayd our king,‘That came ffrom the Erle of Surrey;But I shall him teach his prince to know,If euer wee come in our countrye.’98‘I aske noe more,’ sayd the noble erle,‘Ffor allthat my men haue done trulye,Butthat I may be iudge my selfeOfthat noble Erle of Surreye.’99‘Stand vp, Thomas!’ sayd our prince,‘Lord Marshall I make thee,And thou shalt be iudge thy selfe,And as thou saiest, soe shall it bee.’100‘Then is his liffe saued,’ sayd the erle,‘I thanke Iesu and your Grace trulye;If my vnckle slew his father deere,He wold haue venged him on mee.’101‘Thou art verry patient,’ sayd our king;‘The Holy Ghost remaines, I thinke, in thee;On the south side of Turnay thou shalt stande,With my godfather the Erle of Shrewsburye.’102And soe tothat seege forth the went,The noble Shrewsburye and the Erle of Derbye,And the laid seege vnto the walls,And wan the towne in dayes three.103Thus was Lancashire and Cheshire rebukedThorow the pollicye of the Erle of Surrey.Now God,that was in Bethlem borne,And for vs dyed vpon a tree,Saue our noble princethat wereth the crowne,And haue mercy on the Erles soule of Derbye!.tb104And then bespake our noble king,These were the words said hee;Sayes, Come, AlexanderRatcliffe, knight,Come hither now vnto mee,Ffor them shalt goe on the south side of Tournay,And with thee thou shalt haue thousands three.105Then forth is gone AlexanderRatcliffe, knight;With him he leads men thousand three;But or ere three dayes were come to an end,The Ffrenchmen away did flee.106Then KingHenery planted three hundred EnglishmenThat in the citye shold abyde and bee:AlexanderRatcliffe, he wold haue mad him gouernour there,But he forsooke it certainelye,And made great intreatye to our kingThat he might come into England in his compa[n]ye..tb107And then bespake noble KingHenery,And these were the words said hee:Sayes, Come hither, RowlandEgerton, knight,And come thou hither vnto mee;108For the good servicethat thou hast done,Well rewarded shalt thou bee.Then forth came RowlandEgerton,And kneeled downe vpon his knee.109Saies, If it like your Grace, my gracious king,The rewardthat you will bestow on mee,I wold verry gladlye haue it in Cheshire,Fforthat’s att home in my owne country.110And then bespake him noble KingHenery,And these were the words said hee;‘I haue nothing, Egerton, in all CheshireThat wilbe any pleasure for theeBut fiue mills stands att Chester townes end;The gone all ouer the water of Dee.’111Still kneeled RowlandEgerton,And did not rise beside his knee;Sayes, If it like your Highnesse, my gracious king,A milner called I wold neuer bee.112And then bespake him noble KingHarrye,These were the words said hee;Saith, I’le make mine avow to God,And alsoe to the Trinitye,There shall neuerbe kingof EnglandBut the shalbe miller of the mills of Dee!113I haue noe other thing, Egerton,That wilbe for thy delight;I will giue thee the forrest of Snoden in Wales,Wherby thou may giue the horne and lease;In siluer it wilbe verry white,And meethinkes shold thee well please.114. . . . . . . . .Still kneeled RowlandEgerton on his knee;He sayes, If itt like your Highnes, my gracious king,A ranger called wold I neuer bee.115Then our kingwas wrathe, and rose away,Sayes, I thinke, Egerton, nothing will please thee.And then bespake him, RowlandEgerton,Kneeling yet still on his knee:116Sayes, If itt like your Highnesse, my gracious king,That your Highnes pleasure will now heer mee,In Cheshire there lyes a litle grange-house,In the lordsh[i]ppe of Rydeley it doth lyee.117A tanner there in it did dwell;My leege, it is but a cote with one eye,And if your Grace wold bestow this on mee,Ffull well it wold pleasure me.118Then bespake our noble KingHarrye,And these were the words saith hee;Saies, Take theethat grange-house, Egerton,And the lordshippe of Rydley, faire and free.119For the good service thou hast to me done,I will giue it vnto thy heyres and thee:And thus came Row[land] EgerttonTo the lordshippe of Rydley, faire and free..tb120This noble KingHarry wan great victoryes in France,Thorrow the mightthat Christ Jesus did him send.First our kingwan Hans and Gynye,And [two] walled townes, the truth to say;And afterwards wan other two townes,The names of them were called Turwin and Turnay.121High Bullen and Base Bullen he wan alsoe,And other village-townes many a one,And Muttrell he wan alsoe—The cronicles of this will not lye—And kept to Calleis, plainsht with Englishmen,Vnto the deaththat he did dye.

1Now let vss talke of [the] Mount of Flodden,Fforsooth such is our chance,And let vs tell what tydings the Ear[l]e of SurreySent to our kinginto France.

Now let vss talke of [the] Mount of Flodden,

Fforsooth such is our chance,

And let vs tell what tydings the Ear[l]e of Surrey

Sent to our kinginto France.

2The earle he hath a writting made,And sealed it with his owne hand;From the Newcastle vpon TineThe herald passed from the land.

The earle he hath a writting made,

And sealed it with his owne hand;

From the Newcastle vpon Tine

The herald passed from the land.

3And after to Callice hee arriued,Like a noble leed of high degree,And then to Turwin soone he hyed,There he thought to haue found KingHenery.

And after to Callice hee arriued,

Like a noble leed of high degree,

And then to Turwin soone he hyed,

There he thought to haue found KingHenery.

4But there the walls were beaten downe,And our English soldiers therin laine;Sith to Turnay the way hee nume,Wheras lay the emperour of Almaine,And there he found the kingof England,Blessed Iesus, preservethat name!

But there the walls were beaten downe,

And our English soldiers therin laine;

Sith to Turnay the way hee nume,

Wheras lay the emperour of Almaine,

And there he found the kingof England,

Blessed Iesus, preservethat name!

5When the herald came before our king,Lowlye he fell downe on his knee,And said, Christ, christen king,that on the cross dyed,Noble KingHenery, this day thy speed may bee!

When the herald came before our king,

Lowlye he fell downe on his knee,

And said, Christ, christen king,that on the cross dyed,

Noble KingHenery, this day thy speed may bee!

6The first wordthat the prince did minge,Said, Welcome, herald, out of England, to me!How fares my leeds? how fares my lords?My knights, my esquiers, in their degree?

The first wordthat the prince did minge,

Said, Welcome, herald, out of England, to me!

How fares my leeds? how fares my lords?

My knights, my esquiers, in their degree?

7‘Heere greeteth you well your owne leaetenant,The Honorable Erle of Surrey;He bidds you in Ffrance to venter your chance,For slaine is your brother, KingIamye,And att louelie London you shall him finde,My comelye prince, in the presence of thee.’

‘Heere greeteth you well your owne leaetenant,

The Honorable Erle of Surrey;

He bidds you in Ffrance to venter your chance,

For slaine is your brother, KingIamye,

And att louelie London you shall him finde,

My comelye prince, in the presence of thee.’

8Then bespake our comlye king,Said, Who did fight and who did flee?And who bore him best of the Mount of Fflodden?And who was false, and who was true to me?

Then bespake our comlye king,

Said, Who did fight and who did flee?

And who bore him best of the Mount of Fflodden?

And who was false, and who was true to me?

9‘Lancashire and Cheshire,’ sayd the messenger,‘Cleane they be fled and gone;There was nere a man that longd to the Erleof DarbyThat durst looke his enemyes vpon.’

‘Lancashire and Cheshire,’ sayd the messenger,

‘Cleane they be fled and gone;

There was nere a man that longd to the Erleof Darby

That durst looke his enemyes vpon.’

10S[t]ill in a study stood our noble king,And tooke the writting in his hand;Shortlye the seale he did vnclose,And readilye he read as he found.

S[t]ill in a study stood our noble king,

And tooke the writting in his hand;

Shortlye the seale he did vnclose,

And readilye he read as he found.

11Then bespake our comlye king,And called vpon his chiualree,And said, Who will feitch me the Kingof Man,The HonnorableThomas Erle of Darbye?

Then bespake our comlye king,

And called vpon his chiualree,

And said, Who will feitch me the Kingof Man,

The HonnorableThomas Erle of Darbye?

12He may take Lancashire and Cheshire,That he hath called the cheefe of chiualree;Now falsely are they fled and gone,Neuer a one of them is true to mee!

He may take Lancashire and Cheshire,

That he hath called the cheefe of chiualree;

Now falsely are they fled and gone,

Neuer a one of them is true to mee!

13Then bespake Sir Raphe Egerton, the knight,And lowlye kneeled vpon his knee,And said, My soueraigne lord, KingHenery,If it like your Grace to pardon mee,

Then bespake Sir Raphe Egerton, the knight,

And lowlye kneeled vpon his knee,

And said, My soueraigne lord, KingHenery,

If it like your Grace to pardon mee,

14If Lancashire and Cheshire be fled and gone,Of those tydings wee may be vnfaine;But I dare lay my life and landeIt was for want of their captaine.

If Lancashire and Cheshire be fled and gone,

Of those tydings wee may be vnfaine;

But I dare lay my life and lande

It was for want of their captaine.

15For if the Erle of Derby our captainehad beene,And vs to lead in our arraye,Then noe Lancashire man nor CheshireThat euer wold haue fled awaye.

For if the Erle of Derby our captainehad beene,

And vs to lead in our arraye,

Then noe Lancashire man nor Cheshire

That euer wold haue fled awaye.

16‘Soe it prooued well,’ said our noble king,‘By himthat deerlye dyed vpon a tree!Now when wee had the most neede,Falslye they serued then to mee.’

‘Soe it prooued well,’ said our noble king,

‘By himthat deerlye dyed vpon a tree!

Now when wee had the most neede,

Falslye they serued then to mee.’

17Then spake William Brewerton, knight,And lowlye kneeled his prince before,And sayd, My soueraigne king, Henery the Eighth,If your Grace sett by vs soe little store,

Then spake William Brewerton, knight,

And lowlye kneeled his prince before,

And sayd, My soueraigne king, Henery the Eighth,

If your Grace sett by vs soe little store,

18Wheresoeuer you come in any feild to fight,Set the Earle of Darby and vs before;Then shall you see wether wee fight or flee,Trew or false whether we be borne.

Wheresoeuer you come in any feild to fight,

Set the Earle of Darby and vs before;

Then shall you see wether wee fight or flee,

Trew or false whether we be borne.

19Compton rowned with our king,And said, Goe wee and leaue the cowards right;‘Heere is my gloue to thee,’ quoth Egerton,‘Compton, if thou be a knight.

Compton rowned with our king,

And said, Goe wee and leaue the cowards right;

‘Heere is my gloue to thee,’ quoth Egerton,

‘Compton, if thou be a knight.

20‘Take my gloue, and with me fight,Man to man, if thou wilt turne againe;For if our prince were not present right,The one of vs two shold be slaine,

‘Take my gloue, and with me fight,

Man to man, if thou wilt turne againe;

For if our prince were not present right,

The one of vs two shold be slaine,

21‘And neuerfoote beside the ground goneVntill the one dead shold bee.’Our prince was moued theratt anon,And returned him right teenouslye.

‘And neuerfoote beside the ground gone

Vntill the one dead shold bee.’

Our prince was moued theratt anon,

And returned him right teenouslye.

22And to him came on the other handThe Honnorable Erle of Darbye;And when he before our prince came,He lowlye kneeled vpon his knee,

And to him came on the other hand

The Honnorable Erle of Darbye;

And when he before our prince came,

He lowlye kneeled vpon his knee,

23And said, Iesu Christ,that on the crosse dyed,This day, noble Henery, thy speed may bee!The first wordthat the kingdid speake,Sayd, Welcome, Kingof Man and Erle of Darbye!

And said, Iesu Christ,that on the crosse dyed,

This day, noble Henery, thy speed may bee!

The first wordthat the kingdid speake,

Sayd, Welcome, Kingof Man and Erle of Darbye!

24How likest thou Cheshire and Lancashire both,Which were counted cheefe of chiualree?Falslye are they fled and gone,And neuera one is trew to mee.

How likest thou Cheshire and Lancashire both,

Which were counted cheefe of chiualree?

Falslye are they fled and gone,

And neuera one is trew to mee.

25‘Ifthat be soe,’ said the erle free,‘My leege, therof I am not faine;My comlye prince, rebuke not mee,I was not there to be there captaine.

‘Ifthat be soe,’ said the erle free,

‘My leege, therof I am not faine;

My comlye prince, rebuke not mee,

I was not there to be there captaine.

26‘If I had beene their captaine,’ the erle said then,‘I durst haue layd both liffe and landHe neuercame out of Lancashire nor CheshireThat wold haue fledd beside the ground.

‘If I had beene their captaine,’ the erle said then,

‘I durst haue layd both liffe and land

He neuercame out of Lancashire nor Cheshire

That wold haue fledd beside the ground.

27‘But if it like your noble GraceA litle boone to grant itt mee,Lett me haue Lancashire and Cheshire both,I desire noe more helpe trulye;

‘But if it like your noble Grace

A litle boone to grant itt mee,

Lett me haue Lancashire and Cheshire both,

I desire noe more helpe trulye;

28‘If I ffayle to burne vp all Scottland,Take me and hang me vpon a tree!I, I shall conquer to Paris gate,Both comlye castles and towers hye.

‘If I ffayle to burne vp all Scottland,

Take me and hang me vpon a tree!

I, I shall conquer to Paris gate,

Both comlye castles and towers hye.

29‘Wheras the walls beene soe stronge,Lancashire and Cheshire shall beate them downe.’‘By my fathers soule,’ sayd our king,‘And by himthat dyed on the roode,

‘Wheras the walls beene soe stronge,

Lancashire and Cheshire shall beate them downe.’

‘By my fathers soule,’ sayd our king,

‘And by himthat dyed on the roode,

30‘Thou shalt neuerhaue Lancashire nor Cheshire rightAtt thy owne obedyence for to bee!Cowards in a feild felly will fightAgaine to win the victorye.’

‘Thou shalt neuerhaue Lancashire nor Cheshire right

Att thy owne obedyence for to bee!

Cowards in a feild felly will fight

Againe to win the victorye.’

31‘Wee were neuercowards,’ said the erle,‘By himthat deerlye dyed on tree!Who brought in your father att Milford Hauen?KingHenery the Seuenth forsooth was hee.

‘Wee were neuercowards,’ said the erle,

‘By himthat deerlye dyed on tree!

Who brought in your father att Milford Hauen?

KingHenery the Seuenth forsooth was hee.

32‘Thorow the towne of Fortune wee did him bring,And soe convayd him to Shrewsburye,And soe crowned him a noble king;And Richardthat day wee deemed to dye.’

‘Thorow the towne of Fortune wee did him bring,

And soe convayd him to Shrewsburye,

And soe crowned him a noble king;

And Richardthat day wee deemed to dye.’

33Our prince was greatlye moued atthat worde,And returned him hastilye againe;To comfort the erle came on the other handeThe doughtye Edward, Duk of Buckingam.

Our prince was greatlye moued atthat worde,

And returned him hastilye againe;

To comfort the erle came on the other hande

The doughtye Edward, Duk of Buckingam.

34‘Plucke vp thy hart, brother Stanlye,And lett nothing greeiue thee!For I dare lay my liffe to weddIt is a false writing of the Erle of Surrey.

‘Plucke vp thy hart, brother Stanlye,

And lett nothing greeiue thee!

For I dare lay my liffe to wedd

It is a false writing of the Erle of Surrey.

35‘Sith KingRichardfelle, he neuerloued thee,For thy vnckle slue his father deere,And deerlye deemed him to dye;SirChristopher Savage his standard away did beare.’

‘Sith KingRichardfelle, he neuerloued thee,

For thy vnckle slue his father deere,

And deerlye deemed him to dye;

SirChristopher Savage his standard away did beare.’

36‘Alas, brother,’ sayd the Erle of Darbye,‘Woe be the timethat I was made knight,Or were ruler of any lande,Or euer had manhood in feild to fight!

‘Alas, brother,’ sayd the Erle of Darbye,

‘Woe be the timethat I was made knight,

Or were ruler of any lande,

Or euer had manhood in feild to fight!

37‘Soe bold men in battle as were they,Forsooth had neither lordnor swaine;Ffarwell my vnckle, Sir EdwardStanley!For well I wottthat thou art slaine.

‘Soe bold men in battle as were they,

Forsooth had neither lordnor swaine;

Ffarwell my vnckle, Sir EdwardStanley!

For well I wottthat thou art slaine.

38‘Surelye whiles thy liffe wold lastThou woldest neuershrinke beside the plaine;Nor Iohn Stanley,that child soe younge;Well I wottthat thou art slaine.

‘Surelye whiles thy liffe wold last

Thou woldest neuershrinke beside the plaine;

Nor Iohn Stanley,that child soe younge;

Well I wottthat thou art slaine.

39‘Ffarwell Kighlye! coward was thou neuer;Old Sir Henery, the good knight,I left the[e] ruler of Latham,To be [my] deputye both day and night.

‘Ffarwell Kighlye! coward was thou neuer;

Old Sir Henery, the good knight,

I left the[e] ruler of Latham,

To be [my] deputye both day and night.

40‘Ffarwell Townlye,that was soe true!Andthat noble Ashton of Middelton!And the sad Southwarke,that euerwas sure!For well I wottthat thou art gone.

‘Ffarwell Townlye,that was soe true!

Andthat noble Ashton of Middelton!

And the sad Southwarke,that euerwas sure!

For well I wottthat thou art gone.

41‘Farwell Ashton vnde[r] Line!And manlye Mullenax! for thou art slaine;For doubtlesse while your liues wold lastYou wold never shun beside the plaine.

‘Farwell Ashton vnde[r] Line!

And manlye Mullenax! for thou art slaine;

For doubtlesse while your liues wold last

You wold never shun beside the plaine.

42‘Ffarwell Adderton with the leaden mall!Well I know thow art deemed to dye;I may take my leaue att you all;The flower of manhoode is gone from mee.

‘Ffarwell Adderton with the leaden mall!

Well I know thow art deemed to dye;

I may take my leaue att you all;

The flower of manhoode is gone from mee.

43‘Ffarwell Sir John Booth of Barton, knight!Well I knowthat thou art slaine;While thy liffe wold last to fight,Thou wold neuerbe-sids the plaine.

‘Ffarwell Sir John Booth of Barton, knight!

Well I knowthat thou art slaine;

While thy liffe wold last to fight,

Thou wold neuerbe-sids the plaine.

44‘Ffarwell Butler, and Sir Bode!Sure you haue beene euerto mee;And soe I knowthat [still] you wold,Ifthat vnslaine you bee.

‘Ffarwell Butler, and Sir Bode!

Sure you haue beene euerto mee;

And soe I knowthat [still] you wold,

Ifthat vnslaine you bee.

45‘FfarwellChristopher Savage, the wighte!Well I knowthat thou art slaine;For whiles thy life wold last to fight,Thou wold neuer besids the plaine.

‘FfarwellChristopher Savage, the wighte!

Well I knowthat thou art slaine;

For whiles thy life wold last to fight,

Thou wold neuer besids the plaine.

46‘Ffarwell Dutton, and Sir Dane!You haue beene euertrew to mee;Ffarwell the Baron of Kinderton!Beside the feild thou wold not flee.

‘Ffarwell Dutton, and Sir Dane!

You haue beene euertrew to mee;

Ffarwell the Baron of Kinderton!

Beside the feild thou wold not flee.

47‘Ffarwell Ffitton of Gawsworth!Either thou art taken or slaine;Doubtelesse while thy life wold last,Thou wold neuer beside the plaine.’

‘Ffarwell Ffitton of Gawsworth!

Either thou art taken or slaine;

Doubtelesse while thy life wold last,

Thou wold neuer beside the plaine.’

48As they stood talkinge together there,The duke and the erle trulye,Came ffor to comfort him th[e] trew Talbott,And the noble Erle of Shrewsburye.

As they stood talkinge together there,

The duke and the erle trulye,

Came ffor to comfort him th[e] trew Talbott,

And the noble Erle of Shrewsburye.

49‘Plucke vp thy hart, sonne Thomas, and be merry,And let noe tydings greeve thee!Am not I godfather to our king?My owne god-sonne forsooth is hee.’

‘Plucke vp thy hart, sonne Thomas, and be merry,

And let noe tydings greeve thee!

Am not I godfather to our king?

My owne god-sonne forsooth is hee.’

50He tooke the Duke of Buckingam by the arme,And the Erle of Sh[r]ewsburye by the other:‘To part with you it is my harme;Farwell, my father and my brother!

He tooke the Duke of Buckingam by the arme,

And the Erle of Sh[r]ewsburye by the other:

‘To part with you it is my harme;

Farwell, my father and my brother!

51‘Farwell Lancaster,that litle towne!Farwell now for euer and aye!Many pore men may pray for my souleWhen they lye weeping in the lane.

‘Farwell Lancaster,that litle towne!

Farwell now for euer and aye!

Many pore men may pray for my soule

When they lye weeping in the lane.

52‘Ffarwell Latham,that bright bower!Nine towers thou beares on hye,And other nine thou beares on the outer walls;Within thee may be lodged kings three.

‘Ffarwell Latham,that bright bower!

Nine towers thou beares on hye,

And other nine thou beares on the outer walls;

Within thee may be lodged kings three.

53‘Ffarwell Knowsley,that litle towerVnderneth the holtes soe hore!Euerwhen I thinke onthat bright bower,Wite me not though my hart be sore.

‘Ffarwell Knowsley,that litle tower

Vnderneth the holtes soe hore!

Euerwhen I thinke onthat bright bower,

Wite me not though my hart be sore.

54‘Ffarwell Tocstaffe,that trustyeparke,And the fayre riuerthat runes there beside,There I was wont to chase the hinde and hart!Now therin will I neuerabide.

‘Ffarwell Tocstaffe,that trustyeparke,

And the fayre riuerthat runes there beside,

There I was wont to chase the hinde and hart!

Now therin will I neuerabide.

55‘Ffarwell bold Birkhead! there was I boorne,Within the abbey and that monesterye;The sweet covent for mee may mourne;I gaue to you the tythe of Beeston, trulye.

‘Ffarwell bold Birkhead! there was I boorne,

Within the abbey and that monesterye;

The sweet covent for mee may mourne;

I gaue to you the tythe of Beeston, trulye.

56‘Ffarwell Westchester for euermore!And the Watter Gate! it is my owne;I gaue a maceforthe serieant to weare,To waite on the maior, as it is knowne.

‘Ffarwell Westchester for euermore!

And the Watter Gate! it is my owne;

I gaue a maceforthe serieant to weare,

To waite on the maior, as it is knowne.

57‘Will I neuercomethat citye within;But, sonne Edward, thou may clayme it of right:Ffarwell Westhardin! I may thee [call] myn,Knight and lord I was of great might.

‘Will I neuercomethat citye within;

But, sonne Edward, thou may clayme it of right:

Ffarwell Westhardin! I may thee [call] myn,

Knight and lord I was of great might.

58‘Sweete sonne Edward, white bookes thou make,And euerhaue pittye on the pore cominaltye!Ffarwell Hope and Hopedale!Mould and Moulesdale, God be with thee!I may take leaue with a sorry cheere,For within thee will I neuer bee.’

‘Sweete sonne Edward, white bookes thou make,

And euerhaue pittye on the pore cominaltye!

Ffarwell Hope and Hopedale!

Mould and Moulesdale, God be with thee!

I may take leaue with a sorry cheere,

For within thee will I neuer bee.’

59As they stoode talking together there,The duke and the lords trulye,Came Iamie Garsed, a yeman of the guard,That had beene brought vp with the Erle of Derbye;Like the devill with his fellowes he had fared,He s[t]icked two, and wounded three.

As they stoode talking together there,

The duke and the lords trulye,

Came Iamie Garsed, a yeman of the guard,

That had beene brought vp with the Erle of Derbye;

Like the devill with his fellowes he had fared,

He s[t]icked two, and wounded three.

60After, with his sword drawen in his hand,He fled to the noble Earle of Derbye:‘Stand vp, Iamye!’ the erle said,‘These tydings nothing liketh mee.

After, with his sword drawen in his hand,

He fled to the noble Earle of Derbye:

‘Stand vp, Iamye!’ the erle said,

‘These tydings nothing liketh mee.

61‘I haue seene the day I cold haue saued thee,Such thirty men if thou hads slaine,And now if I shold speake for thee,Sure thow weret to be slaine.

‘I haue seene the day I cold haue saued thee,

Such thirty men if thou hads slaine,

And now if I shold speake for thee,

Sure thow weret to be slaine.

62‘I will once desire my bretheren eche oneThat they will speake for thee.’He prayd the Duke of Buckingam,And alsoe the Erle of Shrewsburye,

‘I will once desire my bretheren eche one

That they will speake for thee.’

He prayd the Duke of Buckingam,

And alsoe the Erle of Shrewsburye,

63Alsoe my lordFitzwater soe wise,And the good LordWillowbye,Sir Rice Ap Thomas, a knight of price;They all spoke for Long Iamye.

Alsoe my lordFitzwater soe wise,

And the good LordWillowbye,

Sir Rice Ap Thomas, a knight of price;

They all spoke for Long Iamye.

64They had not stayd but a litle while there,The duke and the erles in their talkinge,But straight to the erle came a messenger,That came latelye from the king,

They had not stayd but a litle while there,

The duke and the erles in their talkinge,

But straight to the erle came a messenger,

That came latelye from the king,

65And badthat Long Iamie shold be sent;There shold neither be grith nor grace,But on a boughe he shold be hanged,In middest the feild, before the erles face.

And badthat Long Iamie shold be sent;

There shold neither be grith nor grace,

But on a boughe he shold be hanged,

In middest the feild, before the erles face.

66‘Ifthat be soe,’ said the Erle of Derbye,‘I trust our prince will better bee;Such tydings maketh my hart full heavyeAfore his Grace whenthat wee bee.’

‘Ifthat be soe,’ said the Erle of Derbye,

‘I trust our prince will better bee;

Such tydings maketh my hart full heavye

Afore his Grace whenthat wee bee.’

67The Duke of Buckingam tooke Iamie by the one arme,And the Erle of Shrewsburye by the other;Afore them they put the Kingof Man,It was the Erle of Darbye and noe other.

The Duke of Buckingam tooke Iamie by the one arme,

And the Erle of Shrewsburye by the other;

Afore them they put the Kingof Man,

It was the Erle of Darbye and noe other.

68The lordFitzwater followed fast,And soe did the lordWillowbyghe;The comfortable Cobham mad great hast;All went with the noble Erle of Derbye.

The lordFitzwater followed fast,

And soe did the lordWillowbyghe;

The comfortable Cobham mad great hast;

All went with the noble Erle of Derbye.

69The hind Hassall hoved on fast,With the lusty Lealand trulye;Soe did Sir AlexanderOsbaston,Came in with the Erle of Derbye.

The hind Hassall hoved on fast,

With the lusty Lealand trulye;

Soe did Sir AlexanderOsbaston,

Came in with the Erle of Derbye.

70The royall Ratcliffe,that rude was neuer,And the trustye Trafford, keene to trye,And wight Warburton, out of Cheshire,All came with the Erle of Darbye.

The royall Ratcliffe,that rude was neuer,

And the trustye Trafford, keene to trye,

And wight Warburton, out of Cheshire,

All came with the Erle of Darbye.

71Sir Rice ap Thomas, a knight of Wales,Came with a feirce menye;He bent his bowes on the bent to abyde,And cleane vnsett the gallow-tree.

Sir Rice ap Thomas, a knight of Wales,

Came with a feirce menye;

He bent his bowes on the bent to abyde,

And cleane vnsett the gallow-tree.

72When they came afore our king,Lowlye they kneeled vpon their knees;The first wordthat our prince did myn,‘Welcome, dukes and erles, to mee!

When they came afore our king,

Lowlye they kneeled vpon their knees;

The first wordthat our prince did myn,

‘Welcome, dukes and erles, to mee!

73‘The most welcome hither of allIs our owne traitor, Long Iamie:Iamie, how durst thou be soe boldAs in our presence for to bee?

‘The most welcome hither of all

Is our owne traitor, Long Iamie:

Iamie, how durst thou be soe bold

As in our presence for to bee?

74‘To slay thy bretheren within their hold!Thou was sworne to them, and they to thee.’Then began Long Iamie to speake bold:‘My leege, if it please your Grace to pardon mee,

‘To slay thy bretheren within their hold!

Thou was sworne to them, and they to thee.’

Then began Long Iamie to speake bold:

‘My leege, if it please your Grace to pardon mee,

75‘When I was to my suppersett,They called me coward to my face,And of their talking they wold not lett,And thus with them I vpbrayded was.

‘When I was to my suppersett,

They called me coward to my face,

And of their talking they wold not lett,

And thus with them I vpbrayded was.

76‘The bade me flee from them apaceTothat coward the Erle of Derbye!When I was litle, and had small grace,He was my helpe and succour trulye.

‘The bade me flee from them apace

Tothat coward the Erle of Derbye!

When I was litle, and had small grace,

He was my helpe and succour trulye.

77‘He tooke [me] from my father deere,And keeped me within his wooneTill I was able of my selfeBoth to shoote and picke the stone.

‘He tooke [me] from my father deere,

And keeped me within his woone

Till I was able of my selfe

Both to shoote and picke the stone.

78‘Then after, vnder Grenwich, vpon a dayA Scottish minstrell came to thee,And brought a bow of yew to drawe,And all the guard might not stirrthat tree.

‘Then after, vnder Grenwich, vpon a day

A Scottish minstrell came to thee,

And brought a bow of yew to drawe,

And all the guard might not stirrthat tree.

79‘Then the bow was giuen to the Erle of Derbye,And the erle deliuered it to mee;Seven shoots before your face I shott,And att the eighth in sunder it did flee.

‘Then the bow was giuen to the Erle of Derbye,

And the erle deliuered it to mee;

Seven shoots before your face I shott,

And att the eighth in sunder it did flee.

80‘Then I bad the Scott bow downe his face,And gather vp the bow, and bring it to his king;Then it liked your noble GraceInto your guard for me to bring.

‘Then I bad the Scott bow downe his face,

And gather vp the bow, and bring it to his king;

Then it liked your noble Grace

Into your guard for me to bring.

81‘Sithen I haue liued a merry liffe,I thanke your Grace and the Erle of Darbye;But to haue the erle rebuked thus,That my bringer-vp forsooth was hee,

‘Sithen I haue liued a merry liffe,

I thanke your Grace and the Erle of Darbye;

But to haue the erle rebuked thus,

That my bringer-vp forsooth was hee,

82‘I had rather suffer death,’ he said,‘Then be false to the erlethat was true to me.’‘Stand vp Iamie!’ said our king,‘Haue heere my charter, I giue it thee.

‘I had rather suffer death,’ he said,

‘Then be false to the erlethat was true to me.’

‘Stand vp Iamie!’ said our king,

‘Haue heere my charter, I giue it thee.

83‘Let me haue noe more fighting of theeWhilest thou art within Ffrance lande.’‘Then one thing you must grant,’ said Iamie,‘That your word theron may stand:

‘Let me haue noe more fighting of thee

Whilest thou art within Ffrance lande.’

‘Then one thing you must grant,’ said Iamie,

‘That your word theron may stand:

84‘Whosoe rebuketh Lancashire or ChesshireShortlye shall be deemed to dye.’Our kingcomanded a cry i-wisTo be proclaimed hastilye.

‘Whosoe rebuketh Lancashire or Chesshire

Shortlye shall be deemed to dye.’

Our kingcomanded a cry i-wis

To be proclaimed hastilye.

85‘If the dukes and erles kneele on their knees,Itt getteth on sturr the comonaltye;If wee be vpbrayded thus,Manye a man is like to dye.’The kingsaid, Hethat rebuket Lancashire or CheshireShall haue his iudgment on the next tree.

‘If the dukes and erles kneele on their knees,

Itt getteth on sturr the comonaltye;

If wee be vpbrayded thus,

Manye a man is like to dye.’

The kingsaid, Hethat rebuket Lancashire or Cheshire

Shall haue his iudgment on the next tree.

86Then soe they were in restFor the space of a night, as I weene,And on the other day, without leasinge,There came a messenger from the queene.

Then soe they were in rest

For the space of a night, as I weene,

And on the other day, without leasinge,

There came a messenger from the queene.

87And when he came before our king,Lowlye he kneeled vpon his knee,And said, Chr[i]st thee saue, our noble king,And thy speed this day may bee!Heere greeteth thee well thy loue and liking,And our honorable queeneand ladye,

And when he came before our king,

Lowlye he kneeled vpon his knee,

And said, Chr[i]st thee saue, our noble king,

And thy speed this day may bee!

Heere greeteth thee well thy loue and liking,

And our honorable queeneand ladye,

88And biddeth you in Ffrance to be glad,For slaine is your brother-in-law KingIamie,And att louelye London he shalbe found,My comlye prince, in the presence of thee.

And biddeth you in Ffrance to be glad,

For slaine is your brother-in-law KingIamie,

And att louelye London he shalbe found,

My comlye prince, in the presence of thee.

89Then bespake our comlye prince,Saiinge, Who did fight and who did flee?And who bare them best of the Mount of Fflodden?And who is false, and who is true to mee?

Then bespake our comlye prince,

Saiinge, Who did fight and who did flee?

And who bare them best of the Mount of Fflodden?

And who is false, and who is true to mee?

90‘Lancashire and Cheshire,’ said the messenger,‘They haue done the deed with their hand;Had not the Erle of Derbye beene to thee true,In great aduenture had beene all England.’

‘Lancashire and Cheshire,’ said the messenger,

‘They haue done the deed with their hand;

Had not the Erle of Derbye beene to thee true,

In great aduenture had beene all England.’

91Then bespake our prince on hye,‘Sir Raphe Egertton, my marshall I make thee;Sir Edward Stanley, thou shalt be a lord,Lord Mounteagle thou shalt bee.

Then bespake our prince on hye,

‘Sir Raphe Egertton, my marshall I make thee;

Sir Edward Stanley, thou shalt be a lord,

Lord Mounteagle thou shalt bee.

92‘Yonge Iohn Stanley shalbe a knight,And he is well worthy for to bee.’The Duke of Buckingham the tydings hard,And shortlye ran to the Erle of Darbye:

‘Yonge Iohn Stanley shalbe a knight,

And he is well worthy for to bee.’

The Duke of Buckingham the tydings hard,

And shortlye ran to the Erle of Darbye:

93‘Brother, plucke vp thy hart and be merrye,And let noe tydings greeve thee!Yesterday, thy men called cowerds were,And this day they haue woone the victorye.’

‘Brother, plucke vp thy hart and be merrye,

And let noe tydings greeve thee!

Yesterday, thy men called cowerds were,

And this day they haue woone the victorye.’

94The duke tooke the erle by the arme,And thus they ledden to the prince [trulye].Seven roods of ground the kinghe came,And sayd, ‘Welcome, Kingof Man and Erle of Derbye!The thingthat I haue taken from thee,I geeve it to thee againe whollye.

The duke tooke the erle by the arme,

And thus they ledden to the prince [trulye].

Seven roods of ground the kinghe came,

And sayd, ‘Welcome, Kingof Man and Erle of Derbye!

The thingthat I haue taken from thee,

I geeve it to thee againe whollye.

95‘The manrydden of Lancashire and Cheshire both,Att thy bidding euer to bee;Ffor those men beene true, Thomas, indeed;They beene trew both to thee and mee.’

‘The manrydden of Lancashire and Cheshire both,

Att thy bidding euer to bee;

Ffor those men beene true, Thomas, indeed;

They beene trew both to thee and mee.’

96‘Yett one thing greeveth me,’ said the erle,‘And in my hart maketh me heavye,This day to heare the wan the feild,And yesterday cowards to bee.’

‘Yett one thing greeveth me,’ said the erle,

‘And in my hart maketh me heavye,

This day to heare the wan the feild,

And yesterday cowards to bee.’

97‘It was a wronge wryting,’ sayd our king,‘That came ffrom the Erle of Surrey;But I shall him teach his prince to know,If euer wee come in our countrye.’

‘It was a wronge wryting,’ sayd our king,

‘That came ffrom the Erle of Surrey;

But I shall him teach his prince to know,

If euer wee come in our countrye.’

98‘I aske noe more,’ sayd the noble erle,‘Ffor allthat my men haue done trulye,Butthat I may be iudge my selfeOfthat noble Erle of Surreye.’

‘I aske noe more,’ sayd the noble erle,

‘Ffor allthat my men haue done trulye,

Butthat I may be iudge my selfe

Ofthat noble Erle of Surreye.’

99‘Stand vp, Thomas!’ sayd our prince,‘Lord Marshall I make thee,And thou shalt be iudge thy selfe,And as thou saiest, soe shall it bee.’

‘Stand vp, Thomas!’ sayd our prince,

‘Lord Marshall I make thee,

And thou shalt be iudge thy selfe,

And as thou saiest, soe shall it bee.’

100‘Then is his liffe saued,’ sayd the erle,‘I thanke Iesu and your Grace trulye;If my vnckle slew his father deere,He wold haue venged him on mee.’

100

‘Then is his liffe saued,’ sayd the erle,

‘I thanke Iesu and your Grace trulye;

If my vnckle slew his father deere,

He wold haue venged him on mee.’

101‘Thou art verry patient,’ sayd our king;‘The Holy Ghost remaines, I thinke, in thee;On the south side of Turnay thou shalt stande,With my godfather the Erle of Shrewsburye.’

101

‘Thou art verry patient,’ sayd our king;

‘The Holy Ghost remaines, I thinke, in thee;

On the south side of Turnay thou shalt stande,

With my godfather the Erle of Shrewsburye.’

102And soe tothat seege forth the went,The noble Shrewsburye and the Erle of Derbye,And the laid seege vnto the walls,And wan the towne in dayes three.

102

And soe tothat seege forth the went,

The noble Shrewsburye and the Erle of Derbye,

And the laid seege vnto the walls,

And wan the towne in dayes three.

103Thus was Lancashire and Cheshire rebukedThorow the pollicye of the Erle of Surrey.Now God,that was in Bethlem borne,And for vs dyed vpon a tree,Saue our noble princethat wereth the crowne,And haue mercy on the Erles soule of Derbye!

103

Thus was Lancashire and Cheshire rebuked

Thorow the pollicye of the Erle of Surrey.

Now God,that was in Bethlem borne,

And for vs dyed vpon a tree,

Saue our noble princethat wereth the crowne,

And haue mercy on the Erles soule of Derbye!

.tb

104And then bespake our noble king,These were the words said hee;Sayes, Come, AlexanderRatcliffe, knight,Come hither now vnto mee,Ffor them shalt goe on the south side of Tournay,And with thee thou shalt haue thousands three.

104

And then bespake our noble king,

These were the words said hee;

Sayes, Come, AlexanderRatcliffe, knight,

Come hither now vnto mee,

Ffor them shalt goe on the south side of Tournay,

And with thee thou shalt haue thousands three.

105Then forth is gone AlexanderRatcliffe, knight;With him he leads men thousand three;But or ere three dayes were come to an end,The Ffrenchmen away did flee.

105

Then forth is gone AlexanderRatcliffe, knight;

With him he leads men thousand three;

But or ere three dayes were come to an end,

The Ffrenchmen away did flee.

106Then KingHenery planted three hundred EnglishmenThat in the citye shold abyde and bee:AlexanderRatcliffe, he wold haue mad him gouernour there,But he forsooke it certainelye,And made great intreatye to our kingThat he might come into England in his compa[n]ye.

106

Then KingHenery planted three hundred Englishmen

That in the citye shold abyde and bee:

AlexanderRatcliffe, he wold haue mad him gouernour there,

But he forsooke it certainelye,

And made great intreatye to our king

That he might come into England in his compa[n]ye.

.tb

107And then bespake noble KingHenery,And these were the words said hee:Sayes, Come hither, RowlandEgerton, knight,And come thou hither vnto mee;

107

And then bespake noble KingHenery,

And these were the words said hee:

Sayes, Come hither, RowlandEgerton, knight,

And come thou hither vnto mee;

108For the good servicethat thou hast done,Well rewarded shalt thou bee.Then forth came RowlandEgerton,And kneeled downe vpon his knee.

108

For the good servicethat thou hast done,

Well rewarded shalt thou bee.

Then forth came RowlandEgerton,

And kneeled downe vpon his knee.

109Saies, If it like your Grace, my gracious king,The rewardthat you will bestow on mee,I wold verry gladlye haue it in Cheshire,Fforthat’s att home in my owne country.

109

Saies, If it like your Grace, my gracious king,

The rewardthat you will bestow on mee,

I wold verry gladlye haue it in Cheshire,

Fforthat’s att home in my owne country.

110And then bespake him noble KingHenery,And these were the words said hee;‘I haue nothing, Egerton, in all CheshireThat wilbe any pleasure for theeBut fiue mills stands att Chester townes end;The gone all ouer the water of Dee.’

110

And then bespake him noble KingHenery,

And these were the words said hee;

‘I haue nothing, Egerton, in all Cheshire

That wilbe any pleasure for thee

But fiue mills stands att Chester townes end;

The gone all ouer the water of Dee.’

111Still kneeled RowlandEgerton,And did not rise beside his knee;Sayes, If it like your Highnesse, my gracious king,A milner called I wold neuer bee.

111

Still kneeled RowlandEgerton,

And did not rise beside his knee;

Sayes, If it like your Highnesse, my gracious king,

A milner called I wold neuer bee.

112And then bespake him noble KingHarrye,These were the words said hee;Saith, I’le make mine avow to God,And alsoe to the Trinitye,There shall neuerbe kingof EnglandBut the shalbe miller of the mills of Dee!

112

And then bespake him noble KingHarrye,

These were the words said hee;

Saith, I’le make mine avow to God,

And alsoe to the Trinitye,

There shall neuerbe kingof England

But the shalbe miller of the mills of Dee!

113I haue noe other thing, Egerton,That wilbe for thy delight;I will giue thee the forrest of Snoden in Wales,Wherby thou may giue the horne and lease;In siluer it wilbe verry white,And meethinkes shold thee well please.

113

I haue noe other thing, Egerton,

That wilbe for thy delight;

I will giue thee the forrest of Snoden in Wales,

Wherby thou may giue the horne and lease;

In siluer it wilbe verry white,

And meethinkes shold thee well please.

114. . . . . . . . .Still kneeled RowlandEgerton on his knee;He sayes, If itt like your Highnes, my gracious king,A ranger called wold I neuer bee.

114

. . . . . . . . .

Still kneeled RowlandEgerton on his knee;

He sayes, If itt like your Highnes, my gracious king,

A ranger called wold I neuer bee.

115Then our kingwas wrathe, and rose away,Sayes, I thinke, Egerton, nothing will please thee.And then bespake him, RowlandEgerton,Kneeling yet still on his knee:

115

Then our kingwas wrathe, and rose away,

Sayes, I thinke, Egerton, nothing will please thee.

And then bespake him, RowlandEgerton,

Kneeling yet still on his knee:

116Sayes, If itt like your Highnesse, my gracious king,That your Highnes pleasure will now heer mee,In Cheshire there lyes a litle grange-house,In the lordsh[i]ppe of Rydeley it doth lyee.

116

Sayes, If itt like your Highnesse, my gracious king,

That your Highnes pleasure will now heer mee,

In Cheshire there lyes a litle grange-house,

In the lordsh[i]ppe of Rydeley it doth lyee.

117A tanner there in it did dwell;My leege, it is but a cote with one eye,And if your Grace wold bestow this on mee,Ffull well it wold pleasure me.

117

A tanner there in it did dwell;

My leege, it is but a cote with one eye,

And if your Grace wold bestow this on mee,

Ffull well it wold pleasure me.

118Then bespake our noble KingHarrye,And these were the words saith hee;Saies, Take theethat grange-house, Egerton,And the lordshippe of Rydley, faire and free.

118

Then bespake our noble KingHarrye,

And these were the words saith hee;

Saies, Take theethat grange-house, Egerton,

And the lordshippe of Rydley, faire and free.

119For the good service thou hast to me done,I will giue it vnto thy heyres and thee:And thus came Row[land] EgerttonTo the lordshippe of Rydley, faire and free.

119

For the good service thou hast to me done,

I will giue it vnto thy heyres and thee:

And thus came Row[land] Egertton

To the lordshippe of Rydley, faire and free.

.tb

120This noble KingHarry wan great victoryes in France,Thorrow the mightthat Christ Jesus did him send.

120

This noble KingHarry wan great victoryes in France,

Thorrow the mightthat Christ Jesus did him send.

First our kingwan Hans and Gynye,And [two] walled townes, the truth to say;And afterwards wan other two townes,The names of them were called Turwin and Turnay.

First our kingwan Hans and Gynye,

And [two] walled townes, the truth to say;

And afterwards wan other two townes,

The names of them were called Turwin and Turnay.

121High Bullen and Base Bullen he wan alsoe,And other village-townes many a one,And Muttrell he wan alsoe—The cronicles of this will not lye—And kept to Calleis, plainsht with Englishmen,Vnto the deaththat he did dye.

121

High Bullen and Base Bullen he wan alsoe,

And other village-townes many a one,

And Muttrell he wan alsoe—

The cronicles of this will not lye—

And kept to Calleis, plainsht with Englishmen,

Vnto the deaththat he did dye.

42. soliders.

164. them.

173. 8th.

203. wright.

204. vs 2.

314. 7th..

351. feele.

354. xopher Savage,and again451: alwaysforaway.

411. vndeline.

451. Knightforwighte.

522,3. 9.

524. 3.

532. whore.

534. white.

563. giue: proforfor.

572. wright.

581. Lookesforbookes. 2d Parteat593.

596. 2: 3.

612. 30.

651. Ianie.

793. 7.

794. 8th: breakeforflee,cf.b,c.

834. ward:cf.b.

843. I cryfora cry: ainb,c.

894. who hisfor the firstwho is.

943. 7.

951. Maurydden.

1024, 1044. 3.

103. 121in the MS.

1046. 1000s:3.

1052. 1000d:3.

1061. 300d:.

1105. 5.

1126. heforthe?

1174. me pleasure.

1205. 2.

Andfor&always.

b,c.

In stanzas of eight lines.b.A ballate of the Battalle of Ffloden Ffeeld betweene the Earle of Surrey and the King of Scots.c.Flowden Feilde.

Trivial variations of spelling are not regarded.

11. of the.

12. our fortune and chaunce.

13. tell of.b.tythandes.c.tythance.

22. surlyafterAnd: hiswanting.

31. atforto.

32.b.lordeforleed.b,c. greatforhigh.

34.b.found Henry our kynge.

45–76.Two stanzas, the first ending at 62.

45. the prince.

46.c.Iesu.

52. he kneeled vppon.

54. Kingwanting.

64. andfor the secondmy.

73. biddethe.

75. ye.

82.PrefixAnd.

83. bare: uppon, upon,forof.b.themforhim.

92. they bene both.

93. nonfornere.b.belonged.

101.b.a stand.

102. And he.

104.Firsthewanting.b.tould (corrected fromcoulde?)forfound.

111.b.nobleforcomlye.

112. And he.

121.b.C. and L.b,caddbothe.

122. thewanting.

124. Not a.

133. Kingwanting.

134.b, And it,c, Yf it, like you my souereigne lord.

141.c.bene.

142.c.tythandes.

153.b.L. nor C. mene.

154.b.wold euer.

162. onforvpon a.

163. For now: greatestformost.

164. then served theyforthey serued then.

174. AndforIf.

181. ye: anywanting.

183.c.ye.

184.b.whether (altered fromwher) that wee are.

191.b.rounded.b,c. anonadded toking.

192. Andwanting.b.Sayenge.

193. to theewanting.

211.b.neuer a: besydes.

214.b.right angerly.

221. other syde.

224. lowly he.

233.b.our king sayde.c.speake.

234.b.WasforSayd.

241.c.L. and C.

242. wasforwere.

243. noweinserted beforeare.

244.b.Neuer a one of them.c.Neuer one of them ys (butare,in a later hand).

251.c.thenforfree.

264.b.fled a foote.

272.b.toforitt.

281. to brene, bren.

282.Firstmewanting.

283.FirstIwanting: all to.b.gates.

284.b.Bothe the.

291. walles they.

293. then sayd.

301. andfornor.

302.c.thyne.

303.b.freelyforfelly.

312. for meforon tree.

322.b.To the towne of.

323. weaftersoe.

332.b.vppon the sameforagaine.c.in same,buton theforin,in a later hand.

333. side, syde,forhande.

344.b.dukeforerle.

351. Synce: feelde, feylde.

352.c.thyne: theare, therefordeere.

354. awayeforalways.

363.c.therbyadded by a later hand.

373.c.myne.

374.c.artaltered toweart.

381. whileste that, whiles that.

382. schunte besides.

384. nowebeforethat.

391.b.forbeforecoward,b,c. noneforneuer.

394. be my.

402. theforthat.

403.b.Sotheworthe.c.Sothewarkealtered toSotheworthe.

413.c.whilest.

414. schunte.

421.b.Anderton.

423. leaue nowe.b.ataltered toof.

433. For whileste, For whiles.

434. wouldeste (cwoulde) neuer beside the playne.

441.b.Bolde.

442. ye.

443. stylle, still.

444. Vnslayne nowe yf, (b) that you bee, (c) you had bee.

451. weighte, wighte.

453.b.whileste.

454. woldeste, wouldest: beside.

461. Done, Downe.

462. Ye.

464.b.woldeste.

471.b.Setonaltered toFitton.

472. Other.

473.PrefixFor: whiles.

474. woldeste, wouldest.

483. fforwanting.

492.c.tythands.

494. myne.

514.c.lawne.

522. beareste, bearest.

523. in the vtter.

532. whore.

534. Wyte.

542. ronnethe, renneth.b.besydes.

543.b.was I.

544.b.I will.

551. Berkenhede, Byrkheadaltered toByrkenhead.

554.c.thewanting.

562. myn, myne.

563. gaue: pro(orfor)wanting.

572. mayeste, maiest.c.yt clayme.

573.c.callaftermay,in a later hand.

581. bookes, bokes.

582. comentye, comyntie.

583. Hopesdalle.

584. Mouldesdalle, Mouldesdale.

585. take my: hevie, heavieforsorry.

593. Iames: Garsye, Garsyde.

596. stycked, sticked.

601.b.And after.

603.b.Iames.

604, 663.c.tythandes.

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