"Otterburne, betweene Lord Henry Percye earle of Northomberlande and the earle Douglas of Scotlande, Anno, 1388.". But this title is erroneous and added by fome ignorant tranfcriber of after-times: for, 1. The battle was not fought by the earl of Northumberland, who was abfent, nor is once mentioned in the ballad; but by his fon LORD (or as he is every where called by Froiffart, as well as in this poem, SIR) HENRY PERCY, 2. Altho' the battle was fought in Richard IId's time, the fong is evidently of later date, as appears from the poet's quoting the chronicles, fee ver. 130: which he would not have done had it been a very recent event. It was however written in all likelihood as early as the foregoing fong, if not earlier, which perhaps may be inferred from the minute circumftances with which the ftory is related, many of which are recorded in no chronicle, and were probably preferved in the memory of old people. It will be obferved that the authors of these two poems have fome lines in common; but which of them was the original proprietor, muft depend upon their priority; and this the fagacity of the reader must determine.

YT

felle about the Lamas tyde,

When hofbandes inn' their haye,

The dughtie Douglas bowned him to ride,
In England to take a praye;

Ver. 2. Winn their waye. MS. Winn their hay. Crawfurd's Peerage. p. 97. * Solway frith. bounde, Vid. Gloff.

Over Hoppertop hill they came in,

And fo doune by Rodelyffe crage,

Upon grene Lynton they lighted downe,
Many a ftirande stage:

And boldely brent Northomberlande,
And haried many a towne ;

They did our Englishe men great wronge,
To battelle that weare not bowne.'

Then spake a berne uppon the bent,
Of comforte that was not coulde,

10

All the welthe in the worlde have wee;

I rede we ride to New Caftelle,

So ftill and ftalworthlye.

Uppon the morowe, when it was daye,
The ftandards fhone fulle brighte;

To the New Caftelle they tooke the waye,
And thither they came fulle right.

Sir Henrye Percy laye at the New Caftelle,

I telle you withouten dreede;

V. 16. bounde. MS, V. 21. Probably harried, Vid, Gloss.

30

He

He had bine a marche-man* all his dayes,
And kepte Barwicke upon Tweed.

Wher fhall I byde thee, faid the Douglas,

Or wher wilte thou come to me?

50

"At Qtterburne in the highe waye, Theare maiefte thou well lodged be.

Marche-man, i. e. a fcowrer of the marches.

Theroe full rekeles ther fhe runes,

To make the game and glee :

The faulkone and the fefante bothe,
Amonge the holtes on hee'.

Theare maiefte thou have thie welthe at will,
Well lodged there maifte thou be;

Yt fhall not be long, or I com thee till,
Sayd Sir Henrye Percy.

Ther fhall I byde thee, faid the Douglas,

By the faithe of my bodye.

Ther fhall I come, fayes Sir Harye Percy;

55

60

My trowthe I plighte to thee.

A pipe of wyne he gave him over the walles,

65

For fouth, as I you faye :

Theare he made the Douglas drinke,

And all his hofte that daye.

The Douglas turned him homwarde againe,

For fouthe withouten naye,

He tooke his lodginge at Otterburne

Uppon a wedensdaye :

And theare he pight his ftandard doune,

His getinge more and leffe,

And

V. 53. rowe. MS. V. 56. hye, MS. V. 74. lefe. MS,

And fyne he warned his men to goe
To choose their geldings graffe.

A Scottifhe knight hovered on the bent,'
A watche I dare well faye :

So was he ware one the noble Percye

In the dawninge of the daye.

He pricked to his pavilliane dore,
As faft as he might roone,
Awakene, Dowglas, cried the knight,
For his love, that fits in throne.

Awakene, Dowglas, cride the knight,

For thow maiefte wakene with wynne: Yonder have I fpiede the proud Perfye, And feyene standards with him.

75

85

V. 77. upon the best bent, MS. V. 79, one, i. e, on, for of.