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Syr Davy Scotte, Syr Walter Steward,
Syr John' of Agurstonne *.

Syr Charlles Morrey in that place,

That never a fote wold flye;

130

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A gentell knyght, Sir John Fitz-hughe,

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V. 143. Covelle. MS.-For the names in this page, see the Remarks at the end of this Ballad.

* Our old Minstrel repeats these names, as Homer and Virgil do those of their Heroes:

· fortemque Gyam, fortemque Cloanthum, &c. &c. Both the MSS. read here, "Sir James," but see above, Pt. I, ver. 112.

VOL. I.

D

Of

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Then one the morne they mayd them beeres

Of byrch, and haysell graye;

Many a wydowe with wepyng teyres

Ther makes they fette awaye.

Thys fraye bygan at Otterborne,

Bytwene the nyghte and the day:

Ther the Dowglas lost hys lyfe,

155

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*

To Jesu most of myght,

To bryng hys sowle to the blysse of heven,

For he was a gentyll knyght.

V. 153. one. i. e. on. V. 165. Percyes. Harl. MS.

sc. captive.

+ In the Cotton MS. is the following Note on ver. 164, in an ancient hand:

"Syr Hewe Mongomery takyn prizonar, was delyvered for the restorynge of Perssy."

Most

*Most of the names in the two preceding ballads are found to have belonged to families of distinction in the North, as may be made appear from authentic records. Thus in

THE ANCIENT BALLAD OF CHEVY-CHASE,

Pag. 14.

Ver. 112. Agerstone.] The family of HAGGERSTON of Haggerston, near Berwick, has been seated there for many centuries, and still remains. Thomas Haggerston was among the commissioners returned for Northumberland in 12 Hen. VI, 1433. (Fuller's Worthies, p. 310.) The head of this family at present is Sir Thomas Haggerston, Bart. of Haggerston above mentioned.

N. B. The name is spelt Agerstone, as in the text, in Leland's Itinerary, vol. vii. p. 54.

Ver. 113. Hartly.] Hartley is a village near the sea in the barony of Tinemouth, about 7 m. from North Shields. It probably gave name to a family of note at that time.

Ver. 114. Hearone.] This family, one of the most ancient, was long of great consideration, in Northumberland. Haddeston, the Caput Baroniae of HERON, was their ancient residence. It descended, 25 Edw, I. to the heir general Emiline Heron, afterwards Baroness Darcy. -Ford, &c. and Bockenfield (in com. eodem) went at the same time to Roger Heron, the heir male; whose descendants were summoned to Parliament: Sir William Heron of Ford Castle being summoned 44 Edw. III.Ford Castle hath descended by heirs general to the family of Delaval (mentioned in the next article.)-Robert Heron, Esq. who died at Newark in 1753, (Father of the Right Hon. Sir Richard Heron, Bart.) was heir male of the Herons of Bockenfield, a younger branch of this family. Sir Thomas Heron Middleton, Bart. is heir male of the Herons of Chip-Chase, another branch of the Herons of Ford Castle.

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Ver. 115. Lovele.] Joh. de Lavale, miles, was sheriff of Northumberland 34 Hen. VII.-Joh. de Lavele, mil. in the Edw. VI and afterwards. (Fuller, 313. In Nicholson this name is spelt Da Lovel, p. 304. This seems to be the ancient family of DELAVAL, of Seaton Delaval, in Northumberland, whose ancestor was one of the 25 Barons appointed to be Guardians of Magna Charta.

Ver. 117. Rugbè.] The ancient family of ROKEBY, in Yorkshire, seems to be here intended. In Thoresby's Ducat. I eod. p. 253, fol. is a genealogy of this house, by which it appears that the head of the family, about the time when this ballad was written, was Sir Ralph Rokeby, Knt. Ralph being a common name of the Rokebys.

Ver. 119. Wetharrington.] Rog. de Widrington was sheriff of Northumberland in 36 of Edw. III. (Fuller, p.311.)-Joh. de Widrington in 11 of Hen. IV, and many others of the same name afterwards.- -See also Nicholson, p 331.-Of this family was the late Lord Witherington.

Ver. 124. Mongon-byrry.] Sir Hugh Montgomery was son of John Lord Montgomery, the lineal ancestor of the present Earl of Eglington.

Ver. 125. Iwdale.] The ancient family of the LIDDELS were originally from Scotland, where they were Lords of Liddel Castle, and of the Barony of Buff. (Vid. Collins's Peerage.) The head of this family is the present Lord Ravensworth, of Ravensworth Castle, in the county of Durham,

IN THE BATTLE OF OTTERBOURNE.

Pag. 26. ver. 101. Mentaye.] At the time of this battle the Earldom of Menteith was possessed by Robert Stewart, Earl of Fife, third son of K. Robert II, who, according to Buchanau, commanded the Scots that entered by Carlisle. But our Minstrel had probably an eye to

the

the family of GRAHAM, who had this earldom when the ballad was written. See Douglas's Peerage of Scotland,

1764, fol.

Ver. 103. Huntleye.] This shows this ballad was not composed before 1449; for in that year Alexander Lord of Gordon and Huntley was created Earl of Huntley by K. James II.

Ver. 105. Bowghan.] The Earl of Buchan at that time was Alexander Stewart, fourth son of King Robert II.

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Ver. 107. Jhonstone-Maxwell.] These two families of JOHNSTONE Lord of Johnston, and MAXWELL Lord of Maxwell, were always very powerful on the borders. Of the former family was Johnston Marquis of Annandale of the latter was Maxwell Earl of Nithsdale. 1 cannot find that any chief of this family was named Sir Hugh; but Sir Herbert Maxwell was about this time much distinguished. (See Doug.) This might have been originally written Sir H. Maxwell, and by transcribers converted into Sir Hugh. So above, in No. I. v. 90. Richard is contracted into Ric.

Ver. 109. Swynton] i. e. The Laird of Swintone; a small village within the Scottish border, 3 miles from Norham. This family still subsists, and is very ancient.

Ver. 111. Scotte.] The illustrious family of Scor, ancestors of the Duke of Buccleugh, always made a great figure on the borders. Sir Walter Scot was at the head of this family when the battle was fought; but his greatgrandson, Sir David Scot, was the hero of that house when the ballad was written.

Ibid. Stewarde.] The person here designed was probably Sir Walter Stewart, Lord of Dalswinton and Gairlies, who was eminent at that time. (See Doug.) From him is descended the present Earl of Galloway.

Ver.

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