But the dun bulle is fled and gone, And the halfe moone vanished away: Thee, Norton, wi' thine eight good sonnes, Wi' them full many a gallant wight IV. NORTHUMBERLAND BETRAYED BY DOUGLAS This ballad may be considered as the sequel of the preceding. After the unfortunate Earl of Northumberland had seen himself forsaken of his followers, he endeavoured to withdraw into Scotland, but falling into the hands of the thievish borderers, was stript and otherwise ill-treated by them. At length he reached the house of Hector of Harlaw, an Armstrong, with whom he hoped to lie concealed: for Hector had engaged his honour to be true to him, and was under great obligations to this unhappy nobleman. But this faithless wretch betrayed his guest for a sum of money to Murray the Regent of Scotland, who sent him to the castle of Loughleven, then belonging to William Douglas. All the writers of that time assure us, that Hector, who was rich before, fell shortly after into poverty, and became so infamous, that "to take Hector's cloak," grew into a proverb to express a man who betrays his friend. See Camden, Carleton, Holingshed, &c. Lord Northumberland continued in the castle of Loughleven till the year 1572; when James Douglas Earl of Morton being elected Regent, he was given up to the Lord Hunsden at Berwick, and being carried to York suffered death. As Morton's party depended upon Elizabeth for protection, an elegant historian thinks "it was scarce possible for them to refuse putting into her hands a person who had taken up arms against her. But as a sum of money was paid on that account, and shared between Morton and his kinsman Douglas, the former of whom, during his exile in England, had been much indebted to Northumberland's friendship, the abandoning this unhappy nobleman to inevitable destruction, was deemed an ungrateful and mercenary act." Robertson's Hist. So far history coincides with this ballad, which was apparently written by some Northern bard soon after the event. The interposal of the witch-lady (v. 53.) is probably his own invention: yet, even this hath some countenance from history; for, about 25 years before, the Lady Jane Douglas, Lady Glamis, sister of the Earl of Angus, and nearly related to Douglas of Loughleven, had suffered death for the pretended crime of witchcraft; who, it is presumed, is the witch-lady alluded to in verse 133. The following is selected (like the former) from two copies, which contained great variations; one of them in the Editor's folio manuscript. In the other copy some of the stanzas at the beginning of this ballad are nearly the same with what in that manuscript are made to begin another ballad on the escape of the Earl of Westmoreland, who got safe into Flanders, and is feigned in the ballad to have undergone a great variety of adventures. How long shall fortune faile me nowe, And harrowe me with feare and dread? In misery my life to lead? To fall from my bliss, alas the while! One gentle Armstrong I doe ken, Thus did the noble Percy 'plaine, With a heavy heart and wel-away, On Bramham moor had lost the day. But when he to the Armstrongs came, False Hector to Earl Murray sent, And when he to the Douglas came, When he had in Lough-leven been To the regent1 the lord warden 2 sent, He offered him great store of gold, And wrote a letter fair to see: Saying, Good my lord, grant me my boon, Earle Percy at the supper sate With many a goodly gentleman: What makes you be so sad, my lord, The butts are sett, the shooting's made, I'll give thee my hand, thou gentle Douglas, And then bespake a lady faire, Mary à Douglas was her name: You shall byde here, good English lord, He is a traitor stout and stronge, For he hath tane liverance of the earle,3 Now nay, now nay, thou goodly lady, The regent is a noble lord: Ne for the gold in all Englànd The Douglas would not break his word. 1 James Douglas Earl of Morton, elected Regent of Scotland, November 24, 1572. 2 Of one of the English Marches. Lord Hunsden. 3 Of the Earl of Morton, the Regent. When the regent was a banisht man, I still shall find him true and kind. Betweene England and Scotland it wold breake truce, And friends againe they wold never bee, If they shold 'liver a banisht erle Was driven out of his own countrie. Alas! alas! my lord, she sayes, How that you cannot with him ryde, To Edenborrow castle 2 Ile carry thee. Ere he with thee will break his word. Much is my woe, Lord Percy sayd, When I thinke on my own countrìe, When I thinke on the heavye happe My friends have suffered there for mee. Much is my woe, Lord Percy sayd, And sore those wars my minde distresse ; And now that I a banisht man Shold bring such evil happe with mee, This rives my heart with double woe; 1 i. e. Lake of Leven, which hath communication with the sea. If you'll give me no trust, my lord, Nor unto mee no credence yield; Yet step one moment here aside, Ile showe you all your foes in field. Lady, I never loved witchcraft, If you'll not come yourselfe, my lorde, James Swynard with that lady went, She showed him through the weme of her ring How many English lords there were Waiting for his master and him. And who walkes yonder, my good lady, O yonder is the Lord Hunsdèn: 1 And who beth yonder, thou gay ladye, How many miles is itt, madàme, To saile to them upon the sea. I never was on English ground, And through my ring I may descrye. My mother shee was a witch ladye, And of her skille she learned mee: 1 The Lord Warden of the East Marches. |