He desyres yow to byde p 35 That he may see thys fyght. All they loge at your fathers thys nyght, The Baron of Grastoke ys com owt of the west, 40 For Jesu's love, sayd Syr Harye Percy, Wende to my lorde my Father agayne, And saye thow saw me not with yee: My trowth ys plyght to yonne Skottysh knyght, 45 It nedes me not to layne, That I schulde byde hym upon thys bent, And I have hys trowth agayne: And if that I wende off thys grownde He wolde me call but a kowarde knyght Yet had I lever to be ryude and rente, 59 50 Then ever my manhod schulde be reprovyd 55 The blodye Harte in the Dowglas armes, 65 That every man myght full well knowe: The whyte Lyon on the Ynglysh parte, 70 The Lucetts and the Cressawnts both: Uppon sent Andrewe lowde cane they crye, And syne marked them one owr Ynglysshe men, Sent George the bryght owr ladyes knyght, 75 80 Wyth that scharpe arowes bygan to flee, Men of armes byganne to joyne; Many a dowghty man was ther slayne. The Percy and the Dowglas mette, 85 That ether of other was fayne; They schapped together, whyll that the swette, Tyll the blood from ther bassonetts ranne, Yelde the to me, sayd the Dowglas, Or ells thow schalt be slayne: 90 1 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. 2 i. e. The English. For I see, by thy bryght bassonet, By my good faythe, sayd the noble Percy, Now haste thou rede full ryght, Yet wyll I never yelde me to the, Whyll I may stonde and fyght. They swapped together, whyll that they swette, Wyth swordes scharpe and long; Ych on other so faste they beette, 95 100 Tyll ther helmes cam in peyses dowyn. The Percy was a man of strenghth, 105 I tell yow in thys stounde, He smote the Dowglas at the swordes length, With many a grevous grone; Ther the fowght the day, and all the nyght, 115 Ther was no freke, that ther wolde flye, But styffly in stowre can stond, Ychone hewyng on other whyll they myght drye, V. 116, slayne. MSS. 120 8 Being all in armour, he could not know him. the bavná Ther was slayne upon the Skottes syde, Syr James a Dowglas ther was slayne, The yerlle of Mentaye he was slayne, Syr Charlles Morrey in that place 125 130 For soth and sertenlye, A gentell knyght, Sir John Fitz-hughe, Yt was the more petye. 140 Syr James Harebotell ther was slayne, The gentyll 'Lovelle' ther was slayne, Ther was slayne uppon the Ynglyssh perte, 145 V. 143, Covelle. MS. For the names V. 124, i. e. he died that day. in this page, see the remarks at the end of this ballad. 4 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. To Jesu most of myght, To bryng hys sowle to the blysse of heven, *** 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. 12. ver. 112. Agerstone.] The family of Haggerston V. 153, one, i. e. on. 5 Sc. captive. 6 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." 75 |