So thus did both these nobles dye,
Whose courage none could staine:
An English archer then perceiv'd

The noble erle was slaine:

He had a bow bent in his hand,

Made of a trusty tree;

An arrow of a cloth-yard long
Up to the head drew hee:

185

190

Against Sir Hugh Mountgomerye,
So right the shaft he sett,

The grey goose-winge that was thereon,
In his harts bloode was wett.

This fight did last from breake of day,
Till setting of the sun;

For when they rung the evening-bell,1
The battel scarce was done.

With stout Erle Percy, there was slaine
Sir John of Egerton,2

Sir James that bold Barròn:

195

200

Sir Robert Ratcliff, and Sir John,

And with Sir George and stout Sir James,

205

Both knights of good account,

Good Sir Ralph Raby there was slaine,
Whose prowesse did surmount.

For Witherington needs must I wayle,
As one in doleful dumpes; 3

210

1 Sc. the Curfew bell, usually rung at 8 o'clock. For the surnames, see the Notes at the End of the Ballad.-3i. e. I, as one in deep concern, must lament.' The construction here has generally been misunderstood. The old MS. reads wofull dumpes.

For when his leggs were smitten off,
He fought upon his stumpes.1

And with Erle Douglas, there was slaine

Sir Hugh Mountgomerye,

Sir Charles Murray, that from the feeld
One foote wold never flee.

Sir Charles Murray, of Ratcliff, too,
His sisters sonne was hee;

Sir David Lamb, so well esteem'd,

Yet saved cold not bee.

And the Lord Maxwell in like case
Did with Erle Douglas dye:

Of twenty hundred Scottish speres,
Scarce fifty-five did flye.

Of fifteen hundred Englishmen,
Went home but fifty-three;

The rest were slaine in Chevy-Chase,
Under the greene woode tree.

Next day did many widdowes come,
Their husbands to bewayle;

They washt their wounds in brinish teares,

But all wold not prevayle.

215

220

225

230

Theyr bodyes, bathed in purple gore,

They kist them dead a thousand times,

235

They bare with them away:

Ere they were cladd in clay.

1 Parodied (it, indeed, parodies itself) by Butler in 'Hudibras,' Part I., ▼. 3.-ED.

The newes was brought to Eddenborrow,
Where Scottlands king did raigne,
That brave Erle Douglas suddenlye
Was with an arrow slaine:

'O heavy newes,' King James did say,
'Scottland may witnesse bee,

I have not any captaine more
Of such account as hee.'

240

Like tydings to King Henry came,

245

Within as short a space,

That Percy of Northumberland

Was slaine in Chevy-Chase:

'Now God be with him,' said our king,

'Sith it will noe better bee;

I trust I have, within my realme,
Five hundred as good as hee:

Yett shall not Scotts nor Scotland say,

But I will vengeance take:

I'll be revengèd on them all,

For brave Erle Percyes sake.'

This vow full well the king perform'd
After, at Humbledowne;

In one day, fifty knights were slayne,

With lords of great renowne:

And of the rest, of small account,

Did many thousands dye:

Thus endeth the hunting of Chevy-Chase.
Made by the Erle Percy.

250

255

260

God save our king, and bless this land

265

With plentye, joy, and peace;

And grant henceforth, that foule debate "Twixt noblemen may cease.

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 historical passage, which may be thought to throw considerable light on the subject 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 [IId Earl, son of Hotspur,] 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 seems 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 rise to the celebrated old Ballad of Chevy-Chase; which, to render it more pathetic and interesting, has been heightened with tragical incidents wholly fictitious.' [See Ridpath's Border Hist. 4to. p. 401.] The surnames in the foregoing Ballad are altered, either by accident or design, from the old original copy, and in common editions extremely corrupted. They are here rectified, as much as they could be. Thus,

com.

Pag. 212. ver. 202. Egerton.] This name is restored (instead of Ogerton, Ed.) from the Editor's folio MS. The pieces in that MS. appear to have been collected, and many of them composed (among which might be this ballad) by an inhabitant of Cheshire; who was willing to pay a Compliment here to one of his countrymen, of the eminent Family De or Of Egerton (so the name was first written) ancestors of the present Duke of Bridgwater: and this he could do with the more propriety, as the Percies had formerly great interest in that county: At the fatal battle of Shrewsbury all the flower of the Cheshire gentlemen lost their lives fighting in the cause of Hotspur.

Ver. 203. Ratcliff.] This was a family much distinguished in Northumberland. Edw. Radcliffe, mil. was sheriff of that county in 17 of Hen. VII. and others of the same surname afterwards. (See Fuller, p. 313.) Sir George Ratcliff, Knt. was one of the commissioners of inclosure 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 same name, I do not determine.

Ver. 204. Baron.] This is apparently altered, (not to say corrupted) from Hearone, in p. 11, ver. 114.

Ver. 207. Raby.] This might be intended to celebrate one of the ancient possessors 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, see p. 11, p. 27. It will not be wondered that the Percies should be thought to bring followers out of that county, where they themselves were originally seated, and had always such extensive property and influence.

Pag. 213. ver. 215. Murray.] So the Scottish copy. In the com. edit. it is Carrel or Currel; and Morrell in the fol. MS.

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 esteemed.'

This seems evidently corrupted from Lwdale or Liddell, in the old copy, see pages 11, 27.

II.

DEATH'S FINAL CONQUEST.

These fine moral stanzas were originally intended for a solemn funeral song, in a play of James Shirley's, intitled, 'The Contention of Ajax and Ulysses : no date, 8vo. Shirley flourished as a Dramatic writer early in the reign of Charles I but he outlived the Restoration. His death happened October 29, 1666. Et. 72.

This little poem was written long after many of these that follow, but is inserted here as a kind of Dirge to the foregoing piece. It is said to have been a favourite Song with K. Charles II.'

THE glories of our birth and state

Are shadows, not substantial things;

There is no armour against fate:
Death lays his icy hands on kings:

Scepter and crown

Must tumble down,

And in the dust be equal made

With the poor crooked scythe and spade.

Some men with swords may reap the field,
And plant fresh laurels where they kill:
But their strong nerves at last must yield;
They tame but one another still.
Early or late

They stoop to fate,

10

'It was often sung to him by 'Old Bowman,' one of his favourite singers.-ED.

5