*The foregoing Essay on the Ancient Minstrels has been very much enlarged and improved since the first edition, with respect to the Anglo-Saxon Minstrels, in consequence of some objections proposed by the reverend and learned Mr. Pegge, which the reader may find in the second volume of the Archæologia, printed by the Antiquarian Society; but which that gentleman has since retracted in the most liberal and candid manner in the third volume of the Archæologia, No. xxxiv. p. 310. And in consequence of similar objections respecting the English Minstrels after the Conquest, the subsequent part hath been much enlarged, and additional light thrown upon the subject; which, to prevent cavil, hath been extended to Minstrelsy in all its branches, as it was established in England, whether by natives or foreigners. Reliques OF ANCIENT POETRY, ETC. "I never heard the old song of Percie and Douglas, that I found not my heart moved more than with a trumpet; and yet 'it' is sung but by some blinde crowder, with no rougher voice, than rude style: which beeing so evill apparelled in the dust cobweb of that uncivill age, what would it work, trimmed in the gorgeous eloquence of Pindare !" SIR PHILIP SYDNEY'S DEFENCE OF POETRY. SERIES THE FIRST. BOOK I. I. The Ancient Ballad of Chevy-Chase. THE fine heroic song of Chevy-Chase has | MS. copy is subjoined the name of the author, ever been admired by competent judges. Those genuine strokes of nature and artless passion, which have endeared it to the most simple readers, have recommended it to the most refined; and it has equally been the amusement of our childhood, and the favourite of our riper years. Mr. Addison has given an excellent critique* on this very popular ballad, but is mistaken with regard to the antiquity of the common received copy; for this, if one may judge from the style, cannot be older than the time of Elizabeth, and was probably written after the eulogium of Sir Philip Sydney: perhaps in consequence of it. I flatter myself, I have here recovered the genuine antique poem; the true original song, which appeared rude even in the time of Sir Philip, and caused him to lament that it was so evil apparelled in the rugged garb of antiquity. Rychard Sheale;* whom Hearne had so little judgment as to suppose to be the same with a R. Sheale, who was living in 1588. But whoever examines the gradation of language and idiom in the following volumes, will be convinced that this is the production of an earlier poet. It is indeed expressly mentioned among some very ancient songs in an old book entitled, The Complaint of Scotland,† (fol. 42), under the title of the Huntis of Chevet, where the two following lines are also quoted: The Perssee and the Mongumrye mette,‡ which, though not quite the same as they stand in the ballad, yet differ not more than might be owing to the author's quoting from *Subscribed, after the usual manner of our old poets, EXPLICETH [explicit] QUOTH RYCHARD SHEALE. This curiosity is printed, from an old manuOne of the earliest productions of the Scottish press, script, at the end of Hearne's preface to Gul. now to be found. The title page was wanting in the copy Newbrigiensis Hist. 1719, 8vo. vol. i. To the here quoted; but it is supposed to have been printed in * Spectator, No. 70, 74. 1540. See Ames. See Pt. 2, v. 23. 2 See Pt. 1, v. 104. memory. Indeed, whoever considers the style and orthography of this old poem will not be inclined to place it lower than the time of Henry VI.: as on the other hand the mention of JAMES THE SCOTTISH KING,* with one or two anachronisms, forbids us to assign it an earlier date. King James I. who was prisoner in this kingdom at the death of his father,† did not wear the crown of Scotland till the second year of our Henry VI.,‡ but before the end of that long reign a third James had mounted the throne.? A succession of two or three Jameses, and the long detention of one of them in England, would render the name familiar to the English, and dispose a poet in those rude times to give it to any Scottish king he happened to mention. So much for the date of this old ballad: with regard to its subject, although it has no countenance from history, there is room to think it had originally some foundation in fact. It was one of the Laws of the Marches frequently renewed between the two nations, that neither party should hunt in the other's borders, without leave from the proprietors or their deputies. There had long been a rivalship between the two martial families of Percy and Douglas, which, heightened by the national quarrel, must have produced frequent challenges and struggles for superiority, petty invasions of their respective domains, and sharp contests for the point of honour; which would not always be recorded in history. Something of this kind, we may suppose, gave rise to the ancient ballad of the Hunting a' the Chevait. Percy Earl of Northumberland had vowed to hunt for three days in the Scottish border, without condescending to askleave from Earl Douglas, who was either lord of the soil, or lord warden of the marches. Douglas would not fail to resent the insult, and endeavour to repel the intruders by force: *Pt. 2. v. 36, 140. Who died Aug. 5, 1406, in the 7th year of our Hen. IV. James I. was crowned May 22, 1424; murdered Feb. 21, 1400-7.(?) In 1430.-Henry VI. was deposed 1461; restored and slain, 1471. Item.... Concordatum est, quod.... nullus unius partis ve, alterius ingrediatur terras, boschas, forrestas, warrenas, loca, dominia quæcunque alicujus partis alterius subditi, causa venandi. piscandi, aucupandi, disportum aut solatium in eisdem, aliave quæcunque de causa, absque licentia ejus....ad quem....loca.... pertinent, aut de deputatis suis prius capt. & obtent. Vid. Bp. Nicolson's Leges Marchiarum, 1705, Svo., pp. 27. 51. this would naturally produce a sharp conflict between the two parties; something of which, it is probable, did really happen, though not attended with the tragical circumstances recorded in the ballad: for these are evidently' borrowed from the Battle of Otterbourn,* ą very different event, but which aftertimeş would easily confound with it. That battle might be owing to some such previous affront as this of Chevy-Chase, though it has escaped the notice of historians. Our poet has evidently jumbled the two subjects together: if indeed the lines,† in which this mistake is made, are not rather spurious, and the after-insertion of some person, who did not distinguish between the two stories. Hearne has printed this ballad without any division of stanzas, in long lines, as he found it in the old written copy: but it is usual to find the distinction of stanzas neglected in ancient MSS; where, to save room, two or three verses are frequently given in one line undivided. See flagrant instances in the Harleian Catalog. No. 2253, s. 29, 34, 61, 70, et passim. This was the original title. See the ballad, Pt. 1, v. 106, of Noreham (or Norham): and Bamboroughshire, the ward Pt. 2, v. 165. or hundred belonging to Bamborough-castle and town. The wear twenty hondrith spear-men good Withouten any fayle; Be my troth, sayd the doughtè Dogglas agayn, Ther-for-the ton of us shall de this day. Then sayd the doughtè Doglas Unto the lord Persè: To kyll all thes giltless men, A-las! it wear great pittè. But, Persè, thowe art a lord of lande, Now Cristes cors on his crowne, sayd the lord Persè, Who-soever ther-to says nay. Be my troth, doughtè Doglas, he says, Thow shalt never se that day; Netharin Ynglonde, Skottlonde, nar France, 85 Nor for no man of a woman born, But and fortune be my chance, I dar met him on man for on. The wear borne a-long be the watter a Twyde, Then bespayke a squyar off Northombarlonde, Yth bowndes of Tividale. 50 Ric. Wytharynton* was him nam; 90 It shall never be told in Sothe-Ynglonde, he says, To kyng Herry the fourth for sham. V. 59, whos, P. C. V. 65, whoys, P. C. V. 71, agay, P. C. V. 81, sayd the the. P. C. V. 88, on, i. e. one. *This is probably corrupted in the MS. for Rog Wid drington, who was at the head of the family in the reign of K. Edw. III. There were several successively of the names of Roger and Ralph, but none of the name of Richard, as appears from the genealogies in the Herald's office. I wat youe byn great lordes twaw, I am a poor squyar of lande; Thes worthè freckys for to fyght Ther-to the wear full fayne, 30 I will never se my captayne fyght on a Tyll the bloode owte off their basnetes sprente, fylde, And stande my-selffe, and looke on, But whyll I may my weppone welde, I wyll not fayl' both harte and hande. That day, that day, that dredfull day : The first fit here I fynde. 95 100 As ever dyd heal or rayne. Holde the, Persè, sayd the Doglas, And i' feth I shall the brynge Wher thowe shalte have a yerls wagis Of Jamy our Scottish kynge. And youe wyll here any more athe hountyng Thoue shalte have thy ransom fre, athe Chyviat, Yet ys ther mor behynde. THE SECOND FIT. THE Yngglishe men hade ther bowys yebent, Ther hartes were good yenoughe; The first of arros that the shote off, Seven skore spear-men the sloughe. Yet bydys the yerle Doglas uppon the bent, 5 For he wrought hom both woo and wouche. The Dogglas pertyd his ost in thre, Lyk a cheffe cheften off pryde, With suar speares off myghttè tre The cum in on every syde.. Thrughe our Yngglishe archery Gave many a wounde full wyde; Many a doughete the garde to dy, Which ganyde them no pryde. I hight the hear this thinge, For the manfullyste man yet art thowe, 35 Thoroue lyvar and longs bathe The sharp arrowe ys gane, 15 45 50 That was,† Fyghte ye, my merry men, whyllys |