XIX.

MARY AM BREE.

In the year 1584, the Spaniards, under the command of Alexander Farnefe prince of Parma, began to gain great advantages in Flanders and Brabant, by recovering many frong holds and cities from the Hollanders, as Ghent, (called then by the English GAUNT,) Antwerp, Mechlin, &c. See Stow's Annals, p 711. Some attempt made with the affiftance of English volunteers to retrieve the former of thofe places probably gave occafion to this ballad I can find no mention of our heroine in history, but the following rhymes rendered her famous among our poets. Ben Jonson often mentions her, and calls any remarkable virago by her name. See his Epicane, firft acted in 1609, A&t 4, sc. 2. His Tale of a Tub, A&t v, fc. 1. And his mafque intitled the Fortunate Ifles, 1626, where he quotes the very words of the ballad,

MARY AMBREE,

(Who marched fo free
To the fiege of Gaunt,
And death could not daunt,
As the ballad doth vaunt)

Were a braver wight, &c.

She is alfo mentioned in Fletcher's Scornful Lady, AЯ 5, fub finem.

"My large gentlewoman, my MARY AMBREE, "had I but feen into you, you should have had another bed. fellow.'

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It is likewife evident, that he is the virago intended by Butler in Hudibras (P. 1, c. 3, v. 36;.), by her being coupled with Joan d'Arc, the celebrated Pucelle d'Orleans.

A bold virago ftout and tall

As Joan of France, or English Mall,

This ballad is printed from a black letter copy in the Pepys Collection, improved from the Editor's folio MS. and by conjecture. The full title is, "The valerous acts performed at Gaunt by the brave bonnie lafs Mary Ambree, "who in revenge of her lovers death did play her part moft "gallantly. The tune is, The blind beggar, &c."

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WHEN

WHEN captaines couragious, whom death cold
not daunte,

Did march to the fiege of the citty of Gaunt,
They muftred their fouldiers by two and by three,
And the formoft in battle was Mary Ambree.

When brave Sir John Major * was flaine in her fight, 5
Who was her true lover, her joy, and delight,
Because he was flaine moft treacherouflie,
Then vowd to revenge him Mary Ambree.

She clothed herselfe from the top to the toe
In buffe of the braveft, most feemelye to fhowe;
A faire fhirt of male † then flipped on fhee;
Was not this a brave bonny lafs, Mary Ambree?

A helmett of proofe flee frait did provide,
A ftrong arminge fword fhee girt by her fide,

10

On her hand a goodly faire gauntlett put shee;
Was not this a brave bonny lafs, Mary Ambree?

Sa MS. Serjeant Major in PC.

+ A peculiar kind of armour, compofed of small rings of iron, and worn under the cloaths. It is mentioned by Spencer, who speaks of the Irish Gallowglafs or Foot-foldier as armed in a long Shirt of Mayl." (View of the State of Ireland.)

Then

Then tooke thee her fworde and her targett in hand,
Bidding all fuch, as wold, bee of her band;
To wayte on her perfon came thousand and three t
Was not this a brave bonny lafs, Mary Ambreë?

My foldiers, fhe faith, foe valiant and bold,
Nowe followe your captaine, whom you doe beholde;
Still formoft in battel myfelfe will I bee:

Was not this a brave bonny laffe, Mary Ambree?

Then cryed out her fouldiers, and loude they did fay, 25
Soe well thou becomest this gallant array,

Thy harte and thy weapons foe well do agree,
There was none ever like Mary Ambree.

Shee cheared her fouldiers, that foughten for life,
With ancyent and standard, with drun and with fife, 30
With brave clanging trumpetts, that founded fo free;
Was not this a brave bonny laffe, Mary Ambree d

Before I will fee the worst of you all

To come into danger of death, or of thrall,

This hand and this life I will venture fo free:

35

Was not this a brave bonny laffe, Mary Ambree?

Shee led upp her souldiers in battaile array,

Gainst three times theyr number by breake of the daye; Seven howers in fkirmish continued shee:

Was not this a brave bonny laffe, Mary Ambree ? 40

She

She filled the fkyes with the fmoke of her fhott,
And her enemyes bodyes with bullets foe hott;
For one of her owne men a fcore killed fhee:
Was not this a brave bonny laffe, Mary Ambree?

And when her falfe gunner, to fpoyle her intent, 45 Away all her pellets and powder had fent,

Straight with her keen weapon fee flafht him in three: Was not this a brave bonny laffe, Mary Ambree ?

Being falfelye betrayed for lucre of hyre,

At length she was forced to make a retyre;
Then her fouldiers into a frong caftle drew fhee:
Was not this a brave bonny laffe, Mary Ambree?

5°

Her foes they befett her on everye side,
As thinking close fiege fhee cold never abide;
To beate down the walles they all did decree:
But floutlye deffyd them brave Mary Ambree.

55

Then tocke fhee her fword and her targett in hand,
And mounting the walls all undaunted did stand,
There daring their captaines to match any three:
O what a brave captaine was Mary Ambree!

60

Now faye, English captaine, what woldeft thou give
To ranfome thy felfe, which elfe must not live?
Come yield thy felfe quicklye, or flaine thou must bee.
Then fm.led fweetlye brave Mary Ambree.

Ye

Ye captaines couragious, of valour fo bold,
Whom thinke you before you now you doe behold?
A knight, fir, of England, and captaine foe free,
Who shortelye with us a prisoner must bee.

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No captaine of England; behold in your fight
Two brefts in my bofome, and therfore no knight: 70
Noe knight, firs, of England, nor captaine you fee,
But a poor fimple lafs, called Mary Ambree.

But art thou a woman, as thou dost declare,
Whofe valor hath provd fo undaunted in warre?
If England doth yield fuch brave laffes as thee,
Full well may they conquer, faire Mary Ambree.

The prince of Great Parma heard of her renowne,
Who long had advanced for Englands faire crowne;
Hee wooed her and fued her his mistress to bee,
And offerd rich prefents to Mary Ambree.

But this virtuous mayden defpifed them all,
Ile nere fell my honour for purple nor pal!:
A mayden of England, fir, never will bee

The whore of a monarcke, quoth Mary Ambree.

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80

Then to her owne country shee backe did returne, 85
Still holding the foes of faire England in fcorne:
Therfore English captaines of every degree
Sing forth the brave valours of Mary Ambree.

XX. BRAVE