The Earle Mourton told the Douglas then, For his godmother' will not see With any woe; for if it be so. God graunt all subjects may be true, To put the prince or state in feare: In wealth or woe, God graunt it be so, THE BONNY EARL OF MURRAY. A SCOTTISH SONG. IN December, 1591, Francis Stewart, Earl of Bothwell, failing in his attempt to seize the person of his Sovereign James VI., retired towards the North, and the King commissioned the Earl of Huntley to pursue Bothwell and his followers with fire and sword. But Huntley availed himself of the opportunity to revenge his own quarrel with James Stewart, Earl of Murray, a relation of Bothwell; and in the night of February 7, 1592, he beset his house, on the northern side of the Forth, burnt it, and slew Murray, a young man of much promise, and the darling of the people. Murray deserved the name of "bonny," being "the tallest and lustiest young nobleman in the kingdom." YE Highlands, and ye Lawlands, Now wae be to thee, Huntley! 1 Queen Elizabeth. He was a braw gallant, And he playd at the ba'; He was a braw gallant, And he playd at the gluve;2 Oh! lang will his lady Luke owre the castle downe,3 YOUNG WATERS. A SCOTTISH BALLAD. ** in THIS Ballad is thought to allude to the partiality which the Queen of James VI. (Anne of Denmark) is said to have shown for the " bonny Earl of Murray;" but Mr. Finlay corrects the error of Percy countenancing the report that James aided and abetted the murderers:" on the contrary, a proclamation was immediately made, "charging all noblemen, &c., to rise in arms for the pursuit of the Earl of Huntley." ABOUT Zule, quhen the wind blew cule, The queen luikt owre the castle wa, 1 That is, bore away the ring on his lance at tilting- -a feat of surpassing address.-Finlay. 2 Playing at the glove seems to have been anciently a kind of game. 3 Castle downe has been thought to mean the Castle of Downe, a seat belonging to the family of Murray, and giving the title of Viscount to the eldest son of the Earl. Zule-yule; Christmas. His footmen they did rin before, Gowden graith'd his horse before The horse zong Waters rade upor But than spake a wylie lord, I've sene lord, and I've sene laird, Out then spack the jealous king, Zou're neither laird nor lord, she says, For a' that she could do or say, Bot for the words which she had said They hae taen zoung Waters, and They hae taen zoung Waters, and Aft I have ridden thro' Stirling town Aft have I ridden thro' Stirling town They hae taen to the heiding-hill1 They hae taen to the heiding-hill And for the words the Queen had spoke MARY AMBREE. IN the year 1584, the Spaniards, commanded by the Prince of Parma, took many fortresses and cities in Flanders and Brabant. Some attempt to regain Ghent, with the help of English volunteers, probably occasioned this Ballad, written upon a heroine unknown to history, but whom the following rhymes made famous. Ben Jonson calls any remarkable virago by her name. She is also mentioned in Fletcher's "Scornful Lady." WHEN captaines couragious, whom death cold not daunte, They mustred their souldiers by two and by three, When brave Sir John Major2 was slaine in her sight. She clothed herselfe from the top to the toe A helmett of proofe shee strait did provide. 1 Heiding-hill-i. e. heading [beheading] hill. The place of execution was anciently an artificial hillock. 2 Or Serjeant Major. 3 A peculiar kind of armour, composed of small rings of iron, and worn under the clothes. It is mentioned by Spenser, who speaks of the Irish gallow-glass, or foot-soldier, as "armed in a long shirt of mayl." U Then tooke shee her sworde and her targett in hand, To wayte on her person came thousand and three : My soldiers, she saith, soe valiant and bold, Was not this a brave bonny lasse, Mary Ambree? Then cryed out her souldiers, and loude they did say, Shee cheared her souldiers, that foughten for life, Before I will see the worst of you all To come into danger of death, or of thrall, Shee led upp her souldiers in battaile array, Gainst three times theyr number by breake of the daye; Seven howers in skirmish continued shee: Was not this a brave bonny lasse, Mary Ambree? She filled the skyes with the smoke of her shott, Straight with her keen weapon shee slasht him in three : Being falselye betrayed for lucre of hyre, Her foes they besett her on everye side, |