[930] [rather.]
[931] [lingered.]
[932] ["The Act of Attainder 13th Elizabeth, only mentions Richard Norton, the father and seven sons, and in 'a list of the rebels in the late northern rebellion, that are fled beyond the seas,' the same seven sons are named. Richard Norton, the father, was living long after the rebellion in Spanish Flanders. See Sharp's Bishoprick Garland, p. 10."—Child's Eng. and Scot. Ballads, Vol. 7, p. 87 (note).]
[933] [standard.]
[934] [Ver. 102. Dun Bull, &c.] The supporters of the Nevilles, Earls of Westmoreland, were Two Bulls Argent, ducally collar'd Gold, armed Or, &c. But I have not discovered the device mentioned in the ballad, among the badges, &c. given by that house. This, however, is certain, that among those of the Nevilles, Lords Abergavenny (who were of the same family) is a Dun Cow with a golden Collar: and the Nevilles of Chyte in Yorkshire (of the Westmoreland branch) gave for their crest, in 1513, a Dog's (Greyhound's) Head erased. So that it is not improbable but Charles Neville, the unhappy Earl of Westmoreland here mentioned, might on this occasion give the above device on his banner. After all our old minstrel's verses here may have undergone some corruption; for, in another Ballad in the same folio MS. and apparently written by the same hand, containing the sequel of this Lord Westmoreland's history, his banner is thus described, more conformable to his known bearings:
"Sett me up my faire Dun Bull,
With Gilden Hornes, hee beares all soe hye."
[935] [Ver. 106. The Half-Moone, &c.] The Silver Crescent is a well-known crest or badge of the Northumberland family. It was probably brought home from some of the Cruzades against the Sarazens. In an ancient Pedigree in verse, finely illuminated on a roll of vellum, and written in the reign of Henry VII. (in possession of the family) we have this fabulous account given of its original. The author begins with accounting for the name of Gernon or Algernon, often born by the Percies; who, he says, were
"... Gernons fyrst named of Brutys bloude of Troy:
Which valliantly fyghtynge in the land of Persè [Persia]
At pointe terrible ayance the miscreants on nyght,
An hevynly mystery was schewyd hym, old bookys reherse;
In hys scheld did schyne a Mone veryfying her lyght,
Which to all the ooste yave a perfytte fyght,
To vaynquys his enemys, and to deth them persue;
And therefore the Persès [Percies] the Cressant doth renew."
In the dark ages no family was deemed considerable that did not derive its descent from the Trojan Brutus; or that was not distinguished by prodigies and miracles.
[936] [easy.]