THE BATTE OF OTTERBURNE. After Scott. There are several Scottish versions of this spirit-stirring ballad, and also an English version, first printed in the fourth edition of the Reliques. The English ballad, naturally enough, dwells more on the prowess of Percy and his countrymen in the combat than on their final discomfiture. A vivid account of the battle of Otterburne may be found in Froissart's Chronicles. In brief, it was a terrible slaughter brought about by the eager pride and ambition of those two hot-blooded young chieftains, James, Earl of Douglas, and the redoubtable Harry Percy. Yet the generosity of the leaders and the devoted loyalty of their men throw a moral splendor over the scene of bloodshed. In the year 1388 Douglas, at the head of three thousand Scottish spears, made a raid into Northumberland and, before the walls of Newcastle, engaged Percy in single combat, capturing his lance with the attached pennon. Douglas retired in triumph, brandishing his trophy, but Hotspur, burning with shame, hurriedly mustered the full force of the Marches and, following hard upon the Scottish rear, made a night attack upon the camp of Douglas at Otterbnrne, about twenty miles from the frontier. Then ensued a moonlight battle, gallant and desperate, fought on either side with unflinching bravery, and ending in the defeat of the English, Percy being taken prisoner. But the Scots bought their glory dear by the loss of their noble leader, who, when the English troops, superior in number, were gaining ground, dashed forward with impetuous courage, cheering on his men, and cleared a way with his swinging battle-axe into the heart of the enemy's ranks. Struck down by three mortal wounds, he died in the midst of the fray, urging with his failing breath these last requests upon the little guard of kinsmen who pressed about him: "First, that yee keep my death close both from our owne folke and from the enemy; then, that ye suffer not my standard to be lost or cast downe; and last, that ye avenge my death, and bury me at Melrosse with my father. If I could hope for these things," he added, "I should die with the greater contentment; for long since I heard a prophesie that a dead man should winne a field, and I hope in God it shall be I." Lammas-tide, the first of August. Muirmen, moorinen. Harried, plundered. The tane, the one. Fell, skin. (The inference is that Percy was rescued by his men.) Gin, if. Burn, brook. Kale, broth. Fend, sustain. Bent, open field. Petitions, tents (pavilions). Branking, prancing. Wargangs, wagons. Ayont, beyond. Hewmont, helmet. Smakkit, smote. Bracken, fern.
THE HUNTING OF THE CHEVIOT. After Hearne, who first printed it from a manuscript in the Ashmolean collection at Oxford. It was next printed in the Reliques, under title of Chevy-Chase,—a title now reserved for the later and inferior broadside version which was singularly popular throughout the seventeenth century and is still better known than this far more spirited original. "With regard to the subject of this ballad,"—to quote from Bishop Percy,—"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 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 o' the Cheviat. Percy, Earl of Northumberland, had vowed to hunt for three days in the Scottish border, without condescending to ask leave 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; 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, a very different event, but which aftertimes would easily confound with it." The date of the ballad cannot, of course, be strictly ascertained. It was considered old in the middle of the sixteenth century, being mentioned in The Complaynt of Scotland (1548) among the "sangis of natural music of the antiquite." Not much can be said for its "natural music," yet despite its roughness of form and enviable inconsistencies of spelling, it has always found grace with the poets. Rare Ben Jonson used to say that he would rather have been the author of Chevy Chase than of all his works; Addison honored the broadside version with two critiques in the Spectator; and Sir Philip Sidney, though lamenting that the ballad should be "so evil apparrelled in the dust and cobwebs of that uncivill age," breaks out with the ingenuous confession: "I never heard the olde song of Percy and Duglas that I found not my heart mooved more then with a trumpet, and yet is it sung but by some blinde crouder, with no rougher voice then rude stile." Mauger, despite. Let, hinder. Meany, company. Shyars, shires. Bomen, bowmen. Byckarte, moved quickly, rattling their weapons. Bent, open field. Aras, arrows. Wyld, wild creatures, as deer. Shear, swiftly. Grevis, groves. Glent, glanced, flashed by. Oware off none, hour of noon. Mart, death-signal (as used in hunting.) Quyrry, quarry, slaughtered game. Bryttlynge, cutting up. Wyste, knew. Byll and brande, axe and sword. Glede, live coal. The ton, the one. Yerle, earl. Cars, curse. Nam, name. Wat, wot, know. Sloughe, slew. Byddys, abides. Wouche, injury. Ost, host. Suar, sure. Many a doughete the garde to dy, many a doughty (knight) they caused to die. Basnites, small helmets. Myneyeple, maniple (of many folds), a coat worn under the armor. Freyke, warrior. Swapte, smote. Myllan, Milan. Hight, promise. Spendyd, grasped (spanned). Corsiare, courser. Blane, halted. Dynte, stroke. Halyde, hauled. Stour, press of battle. Dre, endure. Hinde, gentle. Hewyne in to, hewn in two. The mayde them byears, they made them biers. Makys, mates. Carpe off care, tell of sorrow. March perti, the Border district. Lyff-tenant, lieutenant. Weal, clasp. Brook, enjoy. Quyte, avenged. That tear begane this spurn, that wrong caused this retaliation. Reane, rain. Ballys bete, sorrows amend.
EDOM O' GORDON. After Aytoun. This ballad was first printed at Glasgow, 1755, as taken down by Sir David Dalrymple "from the recitation of a lady," and was afterwards inserted—"interpolated and corrupted," says the unappeasable Ritson—in Percy's Reliques. Ritson himself published a genuine and ancient copy from a manuscript belonging apparently to the last quarter of the sixteenth century and preserved in the Cotton Library. The ballad is known under two other titles, Captain Car and The Burning o' London Castle. Notwithstanding this inexactitude in names, the ballad has an historical basis. In 1571 Adam Gordon, deputy-lieutenant of the North of Scotland for Queen Mary, was engaged in a struggle against the clan Forbes, who upheld the Reformed Faith and the King's party. Gordon was successful in two sharp encounters, but "what glory and renown he obtained of these two victories," says the contemporary History of King James the Sixth, "was all cast down by the infamy of his next attempt; for immediately after this last conflict he directed his soldiers to the castle of Towie, desiring the house to be rendered to him in the Queen's name; which was obstinately refused by the lady, and she burst forth with certain injurious words. And the soldiers being impatient, by command of their leader, Captain Ker, fire was put to the house, wherein she and the number of twenty-seven persons were cruelly burnt to the death."
Martinmas, the eleventh of November. Hauld, stronghold. Toun, enclosed place. Buskit, made ready. Light, alighted. But and, and also. Dree, suffer. But an, unless. Wude, mad. Dule, pain. Reek, smoke. Nourice, nurse. Jimp, slender. Row, roll. Tow, throw. Busk and boun, up and away. Freits, ill omens. Lowe, blaze. Wichty, sturdy. Bent, field. Teenfu', sorrowful. Wroken, avenged.
KINMONT WILLIE. After Scott. This dashing ballad appeared for the first time in the Border Minstrelsy, having been "preserved by tradition," says Scott, "on the West Borders, but much mangled by reciters, so that some conjectural emendations have been absolutely necessary to render it intelligible." The facts in the case seem to be that in 1596 Salkeld, deputy of Lord Scroope, English Warden of the West Marches, and Robert Scott, for the Laird of Buccleuch, Keeper of Liddesdale, met on the border line for conference in the interest of the public weal. The truce, that on such occasions extended from the day of the meeting to the next day at sunset, was this time violated by a party of English soldiers, who seized upon William Armstrong of Kinmonth, a notorious freebooter, as he, attended by but three or four men, was returning from the conference; and lodged him in Carlisle Castle. The Laird of Buccleuch, after treating in vain for his release, raised two hundred horse, surprised the castle and carried off the prisoner without further ceremony. This exploit the haughty Queen of England "esteemed a great affront" and "stormed not a little" against the "bauld Buccleuch." Haribee, the place of execution at Carlisle. Liddel-rack, a ford on the Liddel. Reiver, robber. Hostelrie, inn. Lawing, reckoning. Garr'd, made. Basnet, helmet. Curch, cap. Lightly, set light by. Low, blaze. Splent on spauld, armor on shoulder. Woodhouselee, a house belonging to Buccleuch, on the Border. Herry, harry, spoil. Corbie, crow. Wons, dwells. Lear, lore. Row-footed, rough-footed(?). Spait, flood. Garr'd, made. Stear, stir. Coulters, ploughshares. Forehammers, the large hammers that strike before the small, sledgehammers. Fley'd, frightened. Spier, inquire. Hente, caught. Maill, rent. Airns, irons. Wood, mad. Furs, furrows. Trew, trust.
KING JOHN AND THE ABBOT OF CANTERBURY. After Percy, who printed from an ancient black-letter copy. There are three other broadside versions of this popular ballad extant, and at least one older version has been lost. Similar riddle-stories are to be found in almost all European literatures. There is nothing in this ballad save the name of King John, with his reputation for unjust and high-handed dealing, that can be called traditional. Deere, harm. Stead, place. St. Bittel, St. Botolph(?).
ROBIN HOOD RESCUING THE WIDOW'S THREE SONS. After Ritson, who has collected in two volumes the ballads of Robin Hood. This is believed to be one of the oldest of them all. A concise introduction to the Robin Hood ballads is given by Mr. Hales in the Percy Folio MS. vol. i. This legendary king of Sherwood Forest is more rightfully the hero of English song than his splendid rival, the Keltic King Arthur,
"whose name, a ghost, Streams like a cloud, man-shaped, from mountain peak, And cleaves to cairn and cromlech still."
Yet there is scarcely less doubt as to the actual existence of a flesh-and-blood Robin Hood than there is as to the actual existence of a flesh-and-blood King Arthur. But let History look to her own; Literature need have no scruple in claiming both the archer-prince of outlaws and the blameless king of the Table Round. Robber chieftain or democratic agitator, romantic invention or Odin-myth, it is certain that by the fourteenth century Robin Hood was a familiar figure in English balladry. We have our first reference to this generous-hearted rogue of the greenwood, who is supposed by Ritson to have lived from 1160 to 1247, in Langlande's Piers Ploughman (1362). There are brief notices of the popular bandit in Wyntoun's Scottish Chronicle (1420), Fordun's Scotichronicon (1450), and Mair's Historia Majoris Brittaniae (1521). Famous literary allusions occur in Latimer's Sixth Sermon before Edward VI. (1548), in Drayton's Polyolbion (1613), and Fuller's Worthies of England (1662). The Robin Hood ballads illustrate to the full the rough and heavy qualities, both of form and thought, that characterize all our English folk-songs as opposed to the Scottish. We feel the difference instantly when a minstrel from over the Border catches up the strain:
"There's mony ane sings o'grass, o'grass,
And mony ane sings o'corn;
And mony ane sings o'Robin Hood,
Kens little whar' he was born.