FOOTNOTES:
[925] Acted for the first time "at the Military Ground in Leicester Fields" in 1659.
III.
THE RISING IN THE NORTH.
The subject of this ballad is the great Northern Insurrection in the 12th year of Elizabeth, 1569; which proved so fatal to Thomas Percy, the seventh Earl of Northumberland.
There had not long before been a secret negotiation entered into between some of the Scottish and English nobility, to bring about a marriage between Mary Q. of Scots, at that time a prisoner in England, and the Duke of Norfolk, a nobleman of excellent character, and firmly attached to the Protestant religion. This match was proposed to all the most considerable of the English nobility, and among the rest to the Earls of Northumberland and Westmoreland, two noblemen very powerful in the North. As it seemed to promise a speedy and safe conclusion of the troubles in Scotland, with many advantages to the crown of England, they all consented to it, provided it should prove agreeable to Q. Elizabeth. The Earl of Leicester (Elizabeth's favourite) undertook to break the matter to her, but before he could find an opportunity, the affair had come to her ears by other hands, and she was thrown into a violent flame. The Duke of Norfolk, with several of his friends, was committed to the Tower, and summons were sent to the Northern Earls instantly to make their appearance at court. It is said that the Earl of Northumberland, who was a man of a mild and gentle nature, was deliberating with himself whether he should not obey the message, and rely upon the queen's candour and clemency, when he was forced into desperate measures by a sudden report at midnight, Nov. 14, that a party of his enemies were come to seize on his person.[926] The Earl was then at his house at Topcliffe in Yorkshire. When rising hastily out of bed, he withdrew to the Earl of Westmoreland, at Brancepeth, where the country came in to them, and pressed them to take arms in their own defence. They accordingly set up their standards, declaring their intent was to restore the ancient religion, to get the succession of the crown firmly settled, and to prevent the destruction of the ancient nobility, &c. Their common banner[927] (on which was displayed the cross, together with the five wounds of Christ) was borne by an ancient gentleman, Richard Norton, Esq., of Norton-conyers; who, with his sons (among whom, Christopher, Marmaduke, and Thomas, are expressly named by Camden), distinguished himself on this occasion. Having entered Durham, they tore the Bible, &c., and caused mass to be said there: they then marched on to Clifford-moor near Wetherbye, where they mustered their men. Their intention was to have proceeded on to York, but, altering their minds, they fell upon Barnard's castle, which Sir George Bowes held out against them for eleven days. The two earls, who spent their large estates in hospitality, and were extremely beloved on that account, were masters of little ready money; the E. of Northumberland bringing with him only 8000 crowns, and the E. of Westmoreland nothing at all for the subsistence of their forces, they were not able to march to London, as they had at first intended. In these circumstances, Westmoreland began so visibly to despond, that many of his men slunk away, tho' Northumberland still kept up his resolution, and was master of the field till December 13, when the Earl of Sussex, accompanied with Lord Hunsden and others, having marched out of York at the head of a large body of forces, and being followed by a still larger army under the command of Ambrose Dudley, Earl of Warwick, the insurgents retreated northward towards the borders, and there dismissing their followers, made their escape into Scotland. Tho' this insurrection had been suppressed with so little bloodshed, the Earl of Sussex and Sir George Bowes, marshal of the army, put vast numbers to death by martial law, without any regular trial. The former of these caused sixty-three constables to be hanged at once. And the latter made his boast, that, for sixty miles in length, and forty in breadth, betwixt Newcastle and Wetherby, there was hardly a town or village wherein he had not executed some of the inhabitants. This exceeds the cruelties practised in the West after Monmouth's rebellion: but that was not the age of tenderness and humanity.
Such is the account collected from Stow, Speed, Camden, Guthrie, Carte, and Rapin; it agrees in most particulars with the following ballad, which was apparently the production of some northern minstrel, who was well affected to the two noblemen. It is here printed from two MS. copies, one of them in the Editor's folio collection. They contained considerable variations, out of which such readings were chosen as seemed most poetical and consonant to history.
[The Northern Rebellion of 1569 has been nobly commemorated in verse. Besides the two following ballads there is the one entitled the Earle of Westmorlande, in the folio MS. which was printed for the first time in 1867, and also Wordsworth's matchless poem of the White Doe of Rylstone. Those readers who wish for further particulars respecting this ill-starred insurrection, should see Mr. Hales's interesting introduction to the Earl of Westmoreland (Folio MS., ed. Hales and Furnivall, vol. i. p. 292).
Percy acknowledges above that he has not followed the folio MS. very closely, and his variations will be seen by comparing his version with the copy now printed at the end.]
Listen, lively lordings all,
Lithe and listen unto mee,
And I will sing of a noble earle,
The noblest earle in the north countrie.
Earle Percy is into his garden gone,5
And after him walkes his faire ladìe:[928]
I heard a bird sing in mine eare,
That I must either fight, or flee.
Now heaven forefend, my dearest lord,
That ever such harm should hap to thee:10
But goe to London to the court,
And faire fall truth and honestìe.
Now nay, now nay, my ladye gay,
Alas! thy counsell suits not mee;
Mine enemies prevail so fast,15
That at the court I may not bee.
O goe to the court yet, good my lord,
And take thy gallant men with thee:
If any dare to doe you wrong,
Then your warrant they may bee.20
Now nay, now nay, thou lady faire,
The court is full of subtiltìe;
And if I goe to the court, lady,
Never more I may thee see.
Yet goe to the court, my lord, she sayes,25
And I myselfe will ryde wi' thee:
At court then for my dearest lord,
His faithfull borrowe[929] I will bee
Now nay, now nay, my lady deare;
Far lever[930] had I lose my life,30
Than leave among my cruell foes
My love in jeopardy and strife.
But come thou hither, my little foot-page,
Come thou hither unto mee,
To maister Norton thou must goe35
In all the haste that ever may bee.
Commend me to that gentlemàn,
And beare this letter here fro mee;
And say that earnestly I praye,
He will ryde in my companìe.40
One while the little foot-page went,
And another while he ran;
Untill he came to his journeys end,
The little foot-page never blan.[931]
When to that gentleman he came,45
Down he kneeled on his knee;
And tooke the letter betwixt his hands,
And lett the gentleman it see.
And when the letter it was redd
Affore that goodlye companye,50
I wis, if you the truthe wold know,
There was many a weeping eye.
He sayd, Come thither, Christopher Norton,
A gallant youth thou seemst to bee;
What doest thou counsell me, my sonne,55
Now that good erle's in jeopardy?
Father, my counselle's fair and free;
That erle he is a noble lord,
And whatsoever to him you hight,
I wold not have you breake your word.60
Gramercy, Christopher, my sonne,
Thy counsell well it liketh mee,
And if we speed and scape with life,
Well advanced shalt thou bee.
Come you hither, my nine good sonnes,[932]65
Gallant men I trowe you bee:
How many of you, my children deare,
Will stand by that good erle and mee?
Eight of them did answer make,
Eight of them spake hastilie,70
O father, till the daye we dye
We'll stand by that good erle and thee.
Gramercy now, my children deare,
You showe yourselves right bold and brave;
And whethersoe'er I live or dye,75
A fathers blessing you shal have.
But what sayst thou, O Francis Norton,
Thou art mine eldest sonn and heire:
Somewhat lyes brooding in thy breast;
Whatever it bee, to mee declare.80
Father, you are an aged man,
Your head is white, your bearde is gray;
It were a shame at these your yeares
For you to ryse in such a fray.
Now fye upon thee, coward Francis,85
Thou never learnedst this of mee:
When thou wert yong and tender of age,
Why did I make soe much of thee?
But, father, I will wend with you,
Unarm'd and naked will I bee;90
And he that strikes against the crowne,
Ever an ill death may he dee.
Then rose that reverend gentleman,
And with him came a goodlye band
To join with the brave Erle Percy,95
And all the flower o' Northumberland.
With them the noble Nevill came,
The erle of Westmorland was hee:
At Wetherbye they mustred their host,
Thirteen thousand faire to see.100
Lord Westmorland his ancyent[933] raisde,
The Dun Bull he rays'd on hye,
And three Dogs with golden collars
Were there sett out most royallye.[934]
Erle Percy there his ancyent spred,105
The Halfe-Moone shining all soe faire:[935]
The Nortons ancyent had the crosse,
And the five wounds our Lord did beare.
Then Sir George Bowes he straitwaye rose,
After them some spoyle to make:110
Those noble erles turn'd backe againe,
And aye they vowed that knight to take.
The baron he to his castle fled,
To Barnard castle then fled hee.
The uttermost walles were eathe[936] to win,115
The earles have wonne them presentlie.
The uttermost walles were lime and bricke;
But thoughe they won them soon anone,
Long e'er they wan the innermost walles,
For they were cut in rocke of stone.120
Then newes unto leeve[937] London came
In all the speede that ever might bee,
And word is brought to our royall queene
Of the rysing in the North countrie.
Her grace she turned her round about,125
And like a royall queene shee swore,[938]
I will ordayne them such a breakfast,
As never was in the North before.
Shee caus'd thirty thousand men berays'd,
With horse and harneis[939] faire to see;130
She caused thirty thousand men be raised,
To take the earles i'th' North countrie.
Wi' them the false Erle Warwick went,
Th' erle Sussex and the lord Hunsdèn;
Untill they to Yorke castle came135
I wiss, they never stint ne blan.[940]
Now spred thy ancyent, Westmorland,
Thy dun bull faine would we spye:
And thou, the Erle o' Northumberland,
Now rayse thy half moone up on hye.140
But the dun bulle is fled and gone,
And the halfe moone vanished away:
The Erles, though they were brave and bold,
Against soe many could not stay.
Thee, Norton, wi' thine eight good sonnes,145
They doom'd to dye, alas! for ruth!
Thy reverend lockes thee could not save,
Nor them their faire and blooming youthe.
Wi' them full many a gallant wight
They cruellye bereav'd of life:150
And many a childe made fatherlesse,
And widowed many a tender wife.
[The following version of this ballad is from the Folio MS (ed. Hales and Furnivall, 1867, vol. ii. p. 210.)
Listen liuely lordings all,
and all that beene this place within!
if youle giue eare vnto my songe,
I will tell you how this geere did begin.4
It was the good Erle of Westmorlande,
a noble Erle was called hee;
and he wrought treason against the crowne;
alas, itt was the more pittye!8
and soe itt was the Erle of Northumberland,
another good Noble Erle was hee,
they tooken both vpon on part,
against their crowne they wolden bee.12
Earle Pearcy is into his garden gone,
and after walks his awne ladye;
"I heare a bird sing in my eare
that I must either ffight or fflee."16
"God fforbidd," shee sayd, "good my Lord,
that euer soe that it shalbee!
but goe to London to the court,
and faire ffall truth and honestye!"20
"but nay, now nay, my Ladye gay,
that euer it shold soe bee;
my treason is knowen well enoughe;
att the court I must not bee."24
"but goe to the Court! yet, good my Lord,
take men enowe with thee;
if any man will doe you wronge,
your warrant they may bee."28
"but nay, now nay, my Lady gay,
for soe itt must not bee;
If I goe to the court, Ladye,
death will strike me, and I must dye."32
"but goe to the Court! yett, [good] my Lord,
I my-selfe will ryde with thee;
if any man will doe you wronge,
your borrow I shalbee."36
"but nay, now nay, my Lady gay,
for soe it must not bee;
for if I goe to the Court, Ladye,
thou must me neuer see.40
"but come hither, thou litle footpage,
come thou hither vnto mee,
for thou shalt goe a Message to Master Norton
in all the hast that euer may bee:44
"comend me to that gentleman;
bring him here this letter from mee,
and say, 'I pray him earnestlye
that hee will ryde in my companye.'"48
but one while the foote page went,
another while he rann;
vntill he came to Master Norton,
the ffoot page neuer blanne;52
and when he came to Master Nortton
he kneeled on his knee,
and tooke the letter betwixt his hands,
and lett the gentleman it see.56
and when the letter itt was reade
affore all his companye,
I-wis, if you wold know the truth,
there was many a weeping eye.60
he said, "come hither, Kester Nortton,
a ffine ffellow thou seemes to bee;
some good councell, Kester Nortton,
this day doe thou giue to mee."64
"Marry, Ile giue you councell, ffather,
if youle take councell att me,
that if you haue spoken the word, father,
that backe againe you doe not flee."68
"god amercy, Christopher Nortton,
I say, god amercye!
if I doe liue and scape with liffe,
well advanced shalt thou bee;72
"but come you hither, my nine good sonnes,
in mens estate I thinke you bee;
how many of you, my children deare,
on my part that wilbe?"76
but eight of them did answer soone,
and spake ffull hastilye,
sayes "we willbe on your part, ffather,
till the day that we doe dye."80
"but god amercy, my children deare,
and euer I say god amercy!
and yett my blessing you shall have,
whether-so euer I liue or dye.84
"but what sayst thou, thou ffrancis Nortton,
mine eldest sonne and mine heyre trulye?
some good councell, ffrancis Nortton,
this day thou giue to me."88
"but I will giue you councell, ffather,
if you will take councell att mee;
for if you wold take my councell, father,
against the crowne you shold not bee."92
"but ffye vpon thee, ffrancis Nortton!
I say ffye vpon thee!
when thou was younge and tender of age
I made ffull much of thee."96
"but your head is white, ffather," he sayes,
"and your beard is wonderous gray;
itt were shame ffor your countrye
if you shold rise and fflee away."100
"but ffye vpon thee, thou coward ffrancis!
thou neuer tookest that of mee!
when thou was younge and tender of age
I made too much of thee."104
"but I will goe with you, father," Quoth hee;
"like a naked man will I bee;
he that strikes the first stroake against the crowne,
an ill death may hee dye!"108
but then rose vpp Master Nortton that Esquier
with him a ffull great companye;
and then the Erles they comen downe
to ryde in his companye.112
att whethersbye thé mustered their men
vpon a ffull fayre day;
13000 there were seene
to stand in battel ray.116
the Erle of Westmoreland, he had in his ancyent
the Dume bull in sight most hye,
and 3 doggs with golden collers
were sett out royallye.120
the Erle of Northumberland, he had in his ancyent
the halfe moone in sight soe hye,
as the Lord was crucifyed on the crosse,
and sett forthe pleasantlye.124
and after them did rise good Sir George Bowes,
after them a spoyle to make;
the Erles returned backe againe,
thought euer that Knight to take128
this Barron did take a Castle then,
was made of lime and stone;
the vttermost walls were ese to be woon;
the Erles haue woon them anon;132
but tho they woone the vttermost walls
quickly and anon,
the innermost walles thé cold not winn,
thé were made of a rocke of stone.136
but newes itt came to leeue London
in all they speede that euer might bee;
and word it came to our royall Queene
of all the rebells in the north countrye.140
shee turned her grace then once about,
and like a royall Queene shee sware,
sayes, "I will ordaine them such a breake-fast
as was not in the North this 1000 yeere!"144
shee caused 30000 men to be made
with horsse and harneis all quicklye;
and shee caused 30000 men to be made
to take the rebells in the North countrye.148
they took with them the false Erle of Warwicke,
soe did they many another man;
vntill they came to yorke Castle,
I-wis they neuer stinted nor blan.152
"spread thy ancyent, Erle of Westmoreland!
The halfe moone ffaine wold wee see!"
but the halfe moone is fled and gone,
and the Dun bull vanished awaye;156
and ffrancis Nortton and his 8 sonnes
are ffled away most cowardlye.
Ladds with mony are counted men
men without mony are counted none;160
but hold your tounge! why say you soe?
men wilbe men when mony is gone.
ffins.]