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 Catalogue, No. 2253, s. 29, 34, 61, 70, et passim. THE FIRST FIT. 4 THE Persè owt of Northombarlande, That he wolde hunte in the mountayns them away: The fattiste hartes in all Cheviat Then the Persè owt of Banborowe cam, Ver. 5, magger in Hearne's P. c. [Printed Copy.] V. 11, The the Persè. P. C. V. 13, archardes bolde off blood and bone. P. C. 4 Fit, see v. 100. 5 By these "shyars thre" is probably meant three districts in Northumberland, which still go by the name of shires, and are all in the neighbourhood of Cheviot. These are Island-shire, being the district so named from Holy-Island: Norehamshire, so called from the town and castle of Noreham (or Norham); and Bamboroughshire, the ward or hundred belonging to Bamborough-castle and town. This begane on a monday at morn The chyld may rue that ys un-born, It was the mor pittè. The dryvars thorowe the woodes went Bomen bickarte uppone the bent With ther browd aras cleare. Then the wyld thorowe the woodes went Grea-hondes thorowe the greves glent The begane in Chyviat the hyls above Be that it drewe to the oware off none A hondrith fat hartes ded there lay. The blewe a mort uppone the bent, The semblyd on sydis shear; To se the bryttlynge off the deare. He sayd, It was the Duglas promys At the laste a squyar of Northombelonde Lokyde at his hand full ny, He was war ath the doughetie Doglas comynge: With him a myghtè meany, Both with spear, 'byll,' and brande: Yt was a myghti sight to se. V. 19, throrowe. P. C. passim. 15 20 25 30 35 40 V. 31, blwe a mot. P.C. V. 42, myghtte, P. C. V. 43, brylly. P. C. Hardyar men both off hart nar hande Wear not in Christiantè. The wear twenty hondrith spear-men good 45 The wear borne a-long be the watter a Twyde, 50 Leave off the brytlyng of the dear, he sayde, And to your bowys tayk good heed; For never sithe ye wear on your mothars borne The first mane that ever him an answear mayd, 55 60 Yt was the good lord Persè: We wyll not tell the 'what' men we ar, Nor whos men that we be; But we wyll hount hear in this chays In the spyte of thyne, and of the. The fattiste hartes in all Chyviat We have kyld, and cast to carry them a-way. Be my troth, sayd the doughtè Dogglas agayn, Ther-for the ton of us shall de this day. 70 Then sayd the doughtè Doglas Unto the lord Persè: To kyll all thes giltles men, But, Persè, thowe art a lord of lande, And do the battell off the and of me. Nowe Cristes corse on his crowne, sayd the lord Persè, Who-soever ther-to says nay. 75 80 Be my troth, doughtè Doglas, he says, Thow shalt never se that day; Nethar in Ynglonde, Skottlonde, nar France, 85 But and fortune be my chance, I dar met him on man for on. Then bespayke a squyar off Northombarlonde, 90 It shall never be told in Sothe-Ynglonde, he says, I wat youe byn great lordes twa, I am a poor squyar of lande; I wyll never se my captayne fyght on a fylde, But whyll I may my weppone welde V. 81, sayd the the. P. C. V. 88, on, i. e. one. V. 93, twaw. P. C. 95 6 This is probably corrupted in the MS. for Rog. Widdrington, who was at the head of the family in the reign of King 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. That day, that day, that dredfull day: The first FIT here I fynde. 100 And you wyll here any mor athe hountyng athe Chyviat, Yet ys ther mor behynde. THE SECOND FIT. THE Yngglishe men hade ther bowys yebent, The first of arros that the shote off, Yet bydys the yerle Doglas uppon the bent, 5 And that was sene verament, For he wrought hom both woo and wouche. The Dogglas pertyd his ost in thre, 10 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, The Yngglyshe men let thear bowys be, Bryght swordes on basnites lyght. Thorowe ryche male, and myne-ye-ple V. 101, youe.... hountyng. r. c. byddys. P. C. throrowe. P. C. V. 3, first, i. e. flight. 7 FIT, vide Gloss. 15 20 V. 5, V. 21, |