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The Earle Mourton told the Douglas then,
Take heede you do not offend the king;
But show yourselves like honest men
Obediently in every thing:

For his godmother' will not see
Her noble childe misus'd to be

With any woe; for if it be so.
She will make, &c.

God graunt all subjects may be true,
In England, Scotland, every where:
That no such daunger may ensue,

To put the prince or state in feare:
That God the highest king may see
Obedience as it ought to be,

In wealth or woe, God graunt it be so,
To avoide the sorrowful heigh ho.

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,
Oh! quhair hae ye been?
They hae slaine the Earl of Murray,
And hae laid him on the green.

Now wae be to thee, Huntley!
And quhairfore did you sae!
I bade you bring him wi' you,
But forbade you him to slay.

1 Queen Elizabeth.

He was a braw gallant,
And he rid at the ring;1
And the bonny Earl of Murray,
Oh! he might hae been a king.
He was a braw gallant,

And he playd at the ba';
And the bonny Earl of Murray
Was the flower, among them a’.

He was a braw gallant,

And he playd at the gluve;2
And the bonny Earl of Murray,
Oh! he was the Queene's luve.

Oh! lang will his lady

Luke owre the castle downe,3
Ere she see the Earl of Murray
Cum sounding throw the towne.

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,
And the round tables began,
A'! there is cum to our king's court
Mony a well-favourd man.

The queen luikt owre the castle wa,
Beheld baith dale and down,
And then she saw zoung Waters
Cum riding to the town.

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,
His horsemen rade behind;
Ane mantel of the burning gowd
Did keip him frae the wind.

Gowden graith'd his horse before
And siller shod behind;

The horse zong Waters rade upor
Was fleeter than the wind.

But than spake a wylie lord,
Unto the queen said he,
O tell me quha's the fairest face
Rides in the company.

I've sene lord, and I've sene laird,
And knights of high degree;
Bot a fairer face than zoung Waters
Mine eyne did never see.

Out then spack the jealous king,
(And an angry man was he)
O, if he had been twice as fair,
Zou micht have excepted me.

Zou're neither laird nor lord, she says,
Bot the king that wears the crown;
Theris not a knight in fair Scotland
Bot to thee maun bow down.

For a' that she could do or say,
Appeasd he wad nae bee;

Bot for the words which she had said
Zoung Waters he maun dee.

They hae taen zoung Waters, and
Put fetters to his feet;

They hae taen zoung Waters, and
Thrown him in dungeon deep.

Aft I have ridden thro' Stirling town
In the wind both and the weit.
Bot I neir rade thro' Stirling town
Wi fetters at my feet.

Aft have I ridden thro' Stirling town
In the wind both and the rain;
Bot I neir rade thro' Stirling town
Neir to return again.

They hae taen to the heiding-hill1
His zoung son in his craddle,
And they hae taen to the heiding-hill
His horse both and his saddle.

They hae taen to the heiding-hill
His lady fair to see;

And for the words the Queen had spoke
Zoung Waters he did dee.

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,
Did march to the siege of the citty of Gaunt,

They mustred their souldiers by two and by three,
And the formost in battle was Mary Ambree.

When brave Sir John Major2 was slaine in her sight.
Who was her true lover, her joy, and delight,
Because he was slaine most treacherouslie,
Then vowd to revenge him Mary Ambree.

She clothed herselfe from the top to the toe
In buffe of the bravest, most seemelye to showe;
A faire shirt of male3 then slipped on shee;
Was not this a brave bonny lass, Mary Ambree?

A helmett of proofe shee strait did provide.
A strong arminge sword shee girt by her side,
On her hand a goodly faire gauntlett put shee;
Was not this a brave bonny lass, Mary Ambree ?

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,
Bidding all such, as wold, bee of her band;

To wayte on her person came thousand and three :
Was not this a brave bonny lass, Mary Ambree ?

My soldiers, she saith, soe valiant and bold,
Nowe followe your captaine, whom you doe beholde ;
Still formost in battel myselfe will I bee:

Was not this a brave bonny lasse, Mary Ambree?

Then cryed out her souldiers, and loude they did say,
Soe well thou becomest this gallant array,
Thy harte and thy weapons soe well do agree,
There was none ever like Mary Ambree.

Shee cheared her souldiers, that foughten for life,
With ancyent and standard, with drum and with fife,
With brave clanging trumpetts, that sounded so free;
Was not this a brave bonny lasse, Mary Ambree?

Before I will see the worst of you all

To come into danger of death, or of thrall,
This hand and this life I will venture so free:
Was not this a brave bonny lasse, Mary Ambree ?

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,
And her enemye's bodyes with bullets soe hott;
For one of her owne men a score killed shee:
Was not this a brave bonny lasse, Mary Ambree ?
And when her false gunner, to spoyle her intent,
Away all her pellets and powder had sent,

Straight with her keen weapon shee slasht him in three :
Was not this a brave bonny lasse, Mary Ambree?

Being falselye betrayed for lucre of hyre,
At length she was forced to make a retyre;
Then her souldiers into a strong castle drew shee:
Was not this a brave bonny lasse, Mary Ambree?

Her foes they besett her on everye side,
As thinking close siege shee cold never abide;
To beate down the walles they all did decree :
But stoutlye deffyd them brave Mary Ambree.

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