For when his leggs were fmitten off, And with Erle Douglas, there was flaine Sir Hugh Mountgomerye, Sir Charles Murray, that from the feeld 215 Sir Charles Murray, of Ratcliff, too, His fifters fonne was hee; Sir David Lamb, fo well efteem'd, Yet faved cold not bee. And the Lord Maxwell in like cafe Of twenty hundred Scottish speres, Of fifteen hundred Englishmen, Went home but fifty-three; The reft were flaine in Chevy Chase, 220 225 The newes was brought to Eddenborrow, Was with an arrow flaine: O heavy newes, King James did fay, Scottland may witneffe bee, 240 Now God be with him, faid our king, Sith it will noe better bee; I trust I have, within my realme, Five hundred as good as hee: 250 Thus endeth the hunting of Chevy-Chase, God fave our king, and bless this land And grant henceforth, that foule debate 265 *** Since the former impression of these volumes hath been published, a new edition of COLLINS'S PEERAGE, 1779, &c. IX. Vols. 8vo. which contains, in Volume II. P. 334, an hiftorical paffage, which may be thought to throw confiderable light on the fubject of the preceding Ballad: viz. "In this •year, 1436, according to Hector Boethius, "was fought the Battle of Pepperden, not far from the "Cheviot Hills, between the Earl of Northumberland "[Ild Earl, fon of Hotfpur,] and Earl William Douglas, of Angus, with a small army of about four thousand men each, in which the latter had the advantage. As "this Jeems to have been a private conflict between these two great Chieftains of the Borders, rather than a national "war, it has been thought to have given rife to the cele"brated old Ballad of CHEVY-CHASE; which, to ren "der it more pathetic and interefting, has been heightened "with tragical incidents wholly fictitious." [See Ridpath's Border Hift. 4to. p. 401.] THE furnames in the foregoing Ballad are altered, either by accident or defign, from the old original copy, and in common editions extremely corrupted. They are here rectified, as much as they could be. Thus, Pag. 279. Ver. 202. Egerton.] This name is reflored (inftead of Ogerton, com. Ed.) from the Editor's folio MŠ. The pieces in that MS. appear to have been collected, and many of them compofed (among which might be this ballad) by an an inhabitant of Chefbire; who was willing to pay a Compliment here to one of his countrymen, of the eminent Family De or Of Egerton (fo the name was firft written) anceflors of the prefent Duke of Bridgwater: and this he could do with the more propriety, as the PERCIES bad for merly great intereft in that county: At the fatal battle of Shrewsbury all the flower of the Cheshire gentlemen loft their lives fighting in the caufe of HOTSPUR. Ver. 203. Ratcliff.] This was a family much diftinguifhed in Northumberland. Edw. Radcliffe, mil. was Jheriff of that county in 17 of Hen. VII. and others of the fame furname afterwards. (See Fuller, p. 313.) Sir George Ratcliff, Knt. was one of the commiffioners of inclofure in 1552. See Nicholson, p. 330.) of this family was the late Earl of Derwentwater, who was beheaded in 1715. The Editor's folio MS however, reads here, Sir Robert Harcliffe and Sir William. The Harcleys were an eminent family in Cumberland. See Fuller, p. 224. Whether this may be thought to be the fame name, I do not determine. Ver. 204. Baron.] This is apparently altered, (not to Jay corrupted) from Hearone, in p. 14, ver. 114. Ver. 207. Raby.] This might be intended to celebrate one of the ancient poffeffors of Raby Castle, in the county of Durham. Yet it is written Rebbye, in the fol. MS. and looks like a corruption of Rugby or Rokeby, an eminent family in Yorkshire, fee p. 14, p. 35. It will not he wondered that the PERCIES fhould be thought to bring followers out of that county, where they themselves were originally feated, and had always fuch extenfive property and influence. Pag. 280. Ver. 215. Murray.] So the Scottish copy. In the com. edit. it is Carrel or Currel; and Morrell in the fol. MS. Ver. Ver. 217. Murray.] So the Scot. edit.-The common copies read Murrel. The fol, MS. gives the line in the following peculiar manner, "Sir Roger Heuer of Harcliffe too." Ver. 219. Lamb.] The folio MS. has "Sir David Lambwell, well efteemed." This feems evidently corrupted from Lwdale or Liddell, in the old copy, fee pages 15, 36. II. DEATH'S FINAL CONQUEST. Thefe fine moral flanzas were originally intended for a folemn funeral fong, in a play of James Shirley's, intitled, The Contention of Ajax and Ulyffes:" no date, Evo Shirley flourished as a Dramatic writer early in the reign of Charles I: but he outlived the Reftoration. His death happened October 29, 1665. Et. 72. This little poem was written long after many of thefe that follow, but is inferted here as a kind of Dirge to the fore. going piece. It is faid to have been a favourite Song swith K. Charles II. THE glories of our birth and state Are fhadows, not substantial things; There is no armour against fate: Death lays his icy hands on kings: Scepter and crown Muft tumble down, 5 And |