English and Scottish Ballads Volume VII Part 15

Then quoth the Spanish general, "Come, let us march away; I fear we shall be spoiled all If here we longer stay; 60 For yonder comes Lord Willoughbey, With courage fierce and fell; He will not give one inch of way For all the devils in h.e.l.l."

And then the fearful enemy 65 Was quickly put to flight, Our men persued couragiously, And caught their forces quite; But at [the] last they gave a shout, Which ecchoed through the sky; 70 "G.o.d and St. George for England!"

The conquerers did cry.

This news was brought to England With all the speed might be, And soon our gracious queen was told 75 Of this same victory.

"O this is brave Lord Willoughbey, My love that ever won; Of all the lords of honour, 'Tis he great deeds hath done." 80

To the souldiers that were maimed And wounded in the fray, The queen allowed a pension Of fifteen pence a day; And from all costs and charges 85 She quit and set them free: And this she did all for the sake Of brave Lord Willoughbey.

Then courage, n.o.ble Englishmen, And never be dismaid; 90 If that we be but one to ten, We will not be afraid To fight with foraign enemies, And set our nation free: And thus I end the b.l.o.o.d.y bout 95 Of brave Lord Willoughbey.

THE BONNY EARL OF MURRAY.

From _The Tea-Table Miscellany_, ii. 188.

In consequence of a suspicion that the Earl of Murray had been party to an attempt of his cousin, the notorious Bothwell, against the person of the King (James VI.), a commission was issued for bringing Murray before the sovereign for examination. The arrest was inconsiderately entrusted to the Earl of Huntly, Murray's mortal enemy. The young earl was at that time peacefully residing at Dunnibirsel, the house of his mother, Lady Downe. Huntly surrounded the place and summoned the inmates to surrender, and the demand not being complied with, set fire to the mansion. Murray escaped from the flames, but was overtaken by his foes and savagely slain. The event took place on the night of the 7th of February, 1592.

The youth, beauty, and accomplishments of the victim of this outrage made him a favourite with the people, and there was a universal clamor for revenge. On the 10th of the month, proclamation was made for all n.o.blemen and barons, in a great number of shires, to rise in arms, to join the King for the pursuit of the Earl of Huntly, who, however, surrendered himself, and was dismissed, on security for his appearance to answer for the crime. The moderation of James gave rise to a scandalous report, that the king countenanced the murderer, out of jealousy for the favor with which the bonny earl was regarded by the Queen.

The ballad of _Young Waters_ (vol. iii. p. 89) has, without convincing reasons, been supposed to be founded on the story of the Earl of Murray.

The first of the two pieces which follow is from Ramsay's _Tea-Table Miscellany_. The second, which may perhaps be a part of the same ballad, was first printed in Finlay's collection.

Ye Highlands, and ye Lawlands, O where have you been?

They have slain the Earl of Murray, And they laid him on the green.

"Now wae be to thee, Huntly! 5 And wherefore did you sae?

I bade you bring him wi' you, But forbade you him to slay."

He was a braw gallant, And he rid at the ring; 10 And the bonny Earl of Murray, O he might hae been a king.

He was a braw gallant, And he play'd at the ba'; And the bonny Earl of Murray 15 Was the flower amang them a'.

He was a braw gallant, And he play'd at the glove; And the bonny Earl of Murray, O he was the Queen's love. 20

O lang will his lady Look o'er the castle Down, Ere she see the Earl of Murray Come sounding thro' the town.

THE BONNIE EARL O' MURRAY.

From Finlay's _Scottish Ballads_, ii. 21.

"Open the gates, And let him come in; He is my brother Huntly, He'll do him nae harm."

The gates they were opent, 5 They let him come in; But fause traitor Huntly, He did him great harm.

He's ben and ben, And ben to his bed; 10 And with a sharp rapier He stabbed him dead.

The lady came down the stair, Wringing her hands; "He has slain the Earl o' Murray, 15 The flower o' Scotland."

But Huntly lap on his horse, Rade to the king: "Ye're welcome hame, Huntly, And whare hae ye been? 20

"Whare hae ye been?

And how hae ye sped?"

"I've killed the Earl o' Murray, Dead in his bed."

"Foul fa' you, Huntly! 25 And why did ye so?

You might have ta'en the Earl o' Murray And saved his life too."

"Her bread it's to bake, Her yill is to brew; 30 My sister's a widow, And sair do I rue.

"Her corn grows ripe, Her meadows grow green, But in bonny Dinnibristle 35 I darena be seen."

THE WINNING OF CALES.

This is one of many exulting effusions which were called forth by the taking of Cadiz (vulgarly called Cales). The town was captured on the 21st of June, 1596, the Earl of Effingham being high-admiral of the fleet, and Ess.e.x general of the land forces. Sir W. Raleigh, Lord Thomas Howard, and other distinguished soldiers had commands in the expedition. The praise here bestowed on Ess.e.x's humanity was richly deserved, and the booty taken by the conquerors is not exaggerated.

The whole loss of the Spaniards, in their city and their fleet, was estimated at twenty millions of ducats.

We give this ballad from Deloney's _Garland of Good Will_, as reprinted by the Percy Society, vol. x.x.x. p. 113. The copy in the _Reliques_ (ii. 241), which was corrected by the editor, differs but slightly from the present.

Long had the proud Spaniards Advanced to conquer us, Threatening our country With fire and sword; Often preparing 5 Their navy most sumptuous, With all the provision That Spain could afford.

Dub a-dub, dub, Thus strike the drums, 10 Tan-ta-ra, ta-ra-ra, The Englishman comes.

To the seas presently Went our lord admiral, With knights couragious, 15 And captains full good; The earl of Ess.e.x, A prosperous general, With him prepared To pa.s.s the salt flood. 20 Dub a-dub, &c.

At Plymouth speedily, Took they ships valiantly; Braver ships never Were seen under sail; With their fair colours spread, 25 And streamers o'er their head; Now, bragging Spaniards, Take heed of your tail.

Dub a-dub, &c.

Unto Cales cunningly, Came we most happily, 30 Where the kings navy Did secretly ride; Being upon their backs, Piercing their buts of sack, Ere that the Spaniards 35 Our coming descry'd.

Tan-ta-ra, ta-ra-ra, The Englishman comes; Bounce a-bounce, bounce a-bounce, Off went the guns. 40

Great was the crying, Running and riding, Which at that season Was made at that place; Then beacons were fired, 45 As need was required; To hide their great treasure, They had little s.p.a.ce: "Alas!" they cryed, "English men comes." 50

There you might see the ships, How they were fired fast, And how the men drown'd Themselves in the sea; There you may hear them cry, 55 Wail and weep piteously; When as they saw no shift To escape thence away.

Dub a-dub, &c.