The Lucetts and the Cressawnts both: Uppon sent Andrewe lowde cane they crye, And syne marked them one owr Ynglysshe men, 75 As I have tolde yow ryght. Sent George the bryght owr ladyes knyght, To name they were full fayne, Owr Ynglysshe men they cryde on hyght And thrysse the schowtte agayne. Wyth that scharpe arowes bygan to flee, I tell yow in sertayne; Men of armes byganne to joyne; Many a dowghty man was ther slayne. The Percy and the Dowglas mette, That ether of other was fayne; They schapped together, whyll that the swette, 80 85 * The arms of Douglas are pretty accurately emblazoned in the former stanza, especially 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. ti.e. the English. Tyll the blood from ther bassonetts ranne, As the roke doth in the rayne. Yelde the to me, sayd the Dowglàs, Or ells thow schalt be slayne: 90 For I see, by thy bryght bassonet, And so I do by thy burnysshed brande, 95 By my good faythe, sayd the noble Percy, Yet wyll I never yelde me to the, Whyll I may stonde and fyght. 100 They swapped together, whyll that they swette, Wyth swordes scharpe and long; Ych on other so faste they beette, Tyll ther helmes cam in peyses dowyn. The Percy was a man of strenghth, I tell yow in thys stounde, He smote the Dowglas at the swordes length, 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. * Being all in armour, he could not know him. 105 110 The stonders stode styll on eke syde With many a grevous grone; Ther the fowght the day, and all the nyght, 115 Ther was no freke, that ther wolde flye, Ychone hewyng on other whyll they myght drye, Ther was slayne upon the Skottes syde, For soth and sertenly, 120 * Our old minstrel repeats these names, as Homer and Virgil do those of their heroes: fortemque Gyam, fortemque Cloanthum, &c. &c. Both the MSS. read here, "Sir James:" but see above, Pt. 1, ver. 112. Ther was slayne upon the Skottes syde, For soth as I yow saye, Of fowre and forty thowsande Scotts Ther was slayne upon the Ynglysshe syde, A gentell knyght, Sir John Fitz-hughe, Yt was the more petye. 135 140 Syr James Harebotell ther was slayne, The gentyll Lovelle' ther was slayne, That the Percyes standerd bore. Ther was slayne uppon the Ynglyssh perte, 145 For soth as I yow saye; Of nyne thowsand Ynglyssh men Fyve hondert cam awaye : The other were slayne in the fylde, Cryste kepe ther sowles from wo, Seyng ther was so fewe fryndes Agaynst so many many a foo. Then one the morne they mayd them beeres 150 V. 143, Covelle. MS.-For the names in this page, see the remarks at the end of this ballad. V. 153, one, i. e. on. Many a wydowe with wepyng teyres 155 Thys fraye bygan at Otterborne Bytwene the nyghte and the day: Ther the Dowglas lost hys lyfe, And the Percy was lede awaye.* Then was ther a Scottyshe prisoner tayne, He borowed the Percy home agayne. † Now let us all for the Percy praye To Jesu most of myght, To bryng hys sowle to the blysse of heven, 160 165 Most of the names in the two preceding ballads are found to have belonged to families of distinction in the North, as may be made appear from authentic records. Thus, in THE ANCIENT BALLAD OF CHEVY-CHASE. Pag. 14, ver. 112, Agerstone.] The family of Haggerston of Haggerston, near Berwick, has been seated there for many centuries, and still remains. Thomas HaggerV. 165, Percyes. Harl. MS. * Sc. captive. + In the Cotton MS. is the following note on ver. 164, in an ancient hand:"Syr Hewe Mongomery takyn prizonar, was delyvered for the restorynge of Perssy." |