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C^ortteU Unttieraitg iCihrarg 
 
 Htlfara, S?em Qnrk 
 
 FROM THE 
 
 BENNO LOEWY LIBRARY 
 
 COLLECTED BY 
 
 BENNO LOEWY 
 
 1854-1919 
 BEQUEATHED TO CORNELL UNIVERSITY 
 
Cornell University Library 
 PR 2347.B18 1882 
 
 The earliest known printed English balla 
 
 3 1924 013 123 876 
 
Cornell University 
 Library 
 
 The original of tiiis book is in 
 tine Cornell University Library. 
 
 There are no known copyright restrictions in 
 the United States on the use of the text. 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924013123876 
 
A BALLADE OF THE SCOTTYSSHE 
 KYNGE. 
 
 r 
 
The Earliejl known Printed. Englijh Ballad. 
 
 BALLADE 
 
 OF THE 
 
 SCOTTYSSHE KYNGE. 
 
 WRITTEN BY 
 
 JOHN SKELTON, 
 
 POET LAUREATE TO KING HENKY THE EIGHTH. 
 
 REPRODUCED IN FACSIMILE WITH AN HISTORICAL 
 AND BIBLIOGRAPHICAL INTRODUCTION 
 
 BY 
 
 JOHN ASHTON. 
 
 LONDON : 
 
 ELLIOT STOCK, 62, PATERNOSTER ROW, E.G. 
 
 1882. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 Chap. 
 
 I. Origin of Ballads 
 
 II. Defcription of the Ballade of the Scottyflie Kynge 
 
 III. Biographical Notices of John Skelton . . . 
 
 IV. The Battle of Floddon 
 
 V. Events in the Reign of James IV. of Scotland 
 
 VI. Contemporary Evidence Relating to the Ballad 
 
 VII. The Letter of the Kynge of Scottes . . . 
 
 VIII. Commencement of the Scottiih Campaign . 
 
 IX. Negotiations between the Englifli and Scotch 
 
 X. Battle of Floddon Field 
 
 Facjimile of Ballade of the Scottyflie Kynge 
 
 Page 
 
 I 
 
 8 
 H 
 
 29 
 
 3S 
 40 
 
 50 
 58 
 62 
 
 93 
 
A BALLADE OF THE SCOTTYSSHE 
 KYNGE. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 ORIGIN OF BALLADS. 
 
 F all varieties of poetry, the Ballad, 
 in the form which it afFefts among us, 
 in diftindtion to other countries, is, 
 perhaps, one of the moft attradtive. 
 Although deriving its appellation from 
 a word fignifying a dance in Italy and France, where 
 the ballad was a metrical narrative, or domeftic epic, 
 generally fhort, or at leaft not very long, as to its 
 amount, and ufed as an accompaniment to a dance, 
 the Englifh ballad by no means demanded the dance 
 for its accompaniment, and only fignified a fairly ftiort 
 narrative poem in a rhyming metre of a lively, trip- 
 ping, and popular ftyle, which could be fung or chanted, 
 and as fuch, was eafily diftinguifhed from the true 
 
2 A BALLADE OF 
 
 poem or lay, which was compofed in an artificial and 
 more ferious verfe, and was only intended for recita- 
 tion. It is difficult, if not altogether impofEble, to 
 trace the origin of the prefent form of the ballad in 
 England. There is great probability that it is con- 
 temporary with the times when the alliterative, or 
 initial-rhyming poems of the Anglo-Saxon and Early 
 Englifti poets were gradually giving way to the end- 
 rhyming poetry which Chaucer and his school did fb 
 much to dignify. 
 
 Of our indigenous ballads, many fo-called collec- 
 tions have been compiled. A mere lift of the titles 
 would be tedious and of little profit here. Perhaps 
 the oldeft known example is that of " King Horn," 
 derived from an older and unfound ballad, yet cer- 
 tainly written in the form in which it is now extant, 
 as early as the thirteenth century. Another celebrated 
 and early ballad, "Gamelyn," is of the fourteenth 
 century. After this period the ballad, in the elaftic 
 forms to which it lends itfelf both as to intrinfic narra- 
 tional charadter, and extrinfic metrical adaptation, pro- 
 vided only the quality of being capable of being fung 
 be preferved, fprings rapidly into vogue among the 
 copyifts, and examples of it abound. In faft, for a 
 feafbn, the ballad occupied a dignified pofition among 
 lefs facile forms of poetry. It was a form favoured 
 by the beft poets, and admired by the moft apprecia- 
 tive lifteners. But, after a time, as the progrefs of 
 
THE SCOTTrSSHE KTNGE. 3 
 
 education and the advance of literary tafte diredted 
 the attention of the better claffes to other channels 
 of compofition, fo the ballad came to be negleded and 
 defpifed, until at length, particularly in the feventeenth 
 century, it degenerated into a vehicle for ribaldry, 
 obfcenity, and fcurrility, printed in the fimpleft and 
 commoneft manner, carried about the country by 
 pedlars who pandered to the depraved taftes of their 
 unlettered cuftomers, and, with few exceptions, worth- 
 lefs in every point of its former excellence. Curioufly 
 enough an exception muft be made with regard to the 
 Scottifti ballads, many of which, particularly thofe 
 relating to martial deeds, or military prowefs, are of 
 a far fuperior charafter to thofe of England, which are 
 found contemporary with them. The Ampler, chafter, 
 and more martial Ipirit of the Caledonians, no doubt con- 
 tributed to this refult, and in turn was influenced by it. 
 Whether the curious " Ballade," which is the fub- 
 jeft of the prefent treatife, fhould take rank as the 
 earlieft known printed ballad in England — or only be 
 entitled to fecondary honours — ^mainly depends on 
 what can be termed a ballad — where a fong ends, and 
 a poem commences. It has, however, but one rival, 
 " The Nut-browne Mayd," to which the title of a ballad 
 can be hardly affigned in the fame fenfe of perfedlnefs, 
 and felf-completenefs that this is.' This poem may 
 
 ' It fhould be borne in mind that Mr. G. Barnett Smith com- 
 
4 A BJLLJDE OF 
 
 be farniliar to many readers, but few know its pedigree^ 
 and title to rank as the earlieft known printed ballad. 
 Early in the fixteenth century a book was publifhed 
 at Antwerp, without date or author's name, and this, 
 for want of a better name, has been called " Arnold's 
 Chronicle," or "The Cuftomes of London." Bale, 
 Pits, Stowe, and Holinlhed, afcribe this work to 
 Arnold (according to Stowe, " a citizen of London "), 
 " who being inflamed with the fervente love of good 
 learninge, travailed very ftudioufly therin, and princi- 
 
 municated the text of this ballad to the " Athenaeum," No. 2790, 
 April 16, 1881, p. 525, with defcriptive notes relating to the 
 principal events in the progrefs of its difcovery. This was fol- 
 lowed in the next number, p. 561, by a paragraph containing an 
 extraft from a letter by Profeflbr Skeat to the editor, in which he 
 writes: "I do not quite know why it is called the 'oldeft Englifli 
 printed ballad.* The ballad of ' The Nut-brown Maid,' printed 
 at length in lay 'Specimens of Englifli Literature,' is quite a 
 famous one ; every one fliould know of it who cares for Englifli 
 Literature. And it was printed in 1502." The fame paragraph 
 points out that the accuracy of Mr. Barnett Smith's tranfcript is 
 impugned. To this Mr. Smith, in the " Athenasum," No. 2792, 
 April 30, pp. 592, 593, replied that his variations conlift "in 
 nearly every inllance in the fubftitution of capital letters where 
 they feem to be required, and in the uniform fpelling of a word 
 or two where the original was defeftive." In this reply, alfo, 
 Mr. Smith admits having for the moment forgotten the claims of 
 "The Nut-brown Maid " for a date of 1 5o2,and he adds, " But after 
 all it is a fecondary matter whether ' The Nut-brown Maid ' pre- 
 ceded by a few years the ballad of 'TheScottifli King,' or whether 
 the latter was the earlier in the order of publication. The one 
 paramount faft is that here — as is generally believed — is a per- 
 
THE SCOTTTSSHE KTNGE. 5 
 
 pally in obferving matters worthy to be remembred 
 of the pofteritye ; he noted the Charters, liberties, 
 lawes, conftitucions and Cuftomes of the Citie of 
 London. He lived in the year 15 19." Whether 
 he, or any one elfe wrote the book, does not much 
 matter ; it is a book entirely on mercantile fubjedts, 
 with the remarkable exception of the unexpedted, and 
 uncalled-for, interpolation of the anonymous poem 
 which has received the name of the " Nut-brown 
 Mayd." The page in " Arnold's Chronicle," which 
 precedes this poem, confifts of "The compoficion 
 betwene the marchauntis of england and y° towne of 
 
 feftly new ballad, which muft poffefs a ftrong and genuine intereft 
 for men of letters and antiquaries." Mr. Adin Williams, another 
 correfpondent to the fame periodical, in the fame column, chal- 
 lenges Profeffor Skeat's ftatement that the date of 1 502 is to be 
 affigned to "The Nut-brown Maid," and inclines to 1 52 1 as a 
 nearer date of publication, although the ballad was written about 
 the earlier date mentioned. He fays in continuation, "Mr. Barnett 
 Smith might call his the oldeft printed ballad, with title-page and 
 date, iffued as a book, and not as a portion of a book, even if 
 Arnold's 'Chronicle' is faid to have been printed before 1521. 
 But what of the 'Gefte of Robin Hood,' Edinburgh, 1508?" 
 Profeffor Skeat, however, in a fubfequent communication (No. 
 2793, May 7, p. 623) completely demolifhes this affertion by 
 fhowing that there are two old editions of Arnold's " Chronicle," 
 one printed in 150Z, and the other in 1 521, and fuggefts the date 
 of the writing of " The Nut-brown Maid" as " about 1500, but 
 that is the very lateft date that can be reafonably accepted." To 
 this Mr. A. Williams acquiefces in the following No. 2974. 
 May 14, p 654. 
 
6 A BALLADE OF 
 
 andwarp, for the coftis of ther marchaundicis brought 
 to the faid towne and leauing thens." Immediately 
 before the poem is " Brokers to pay for a cloth under 
 xl.s. the broker ihal haue ij.gy. 
 
 Item for a cloth aboue xl.s. the broker hath iiij.gy. 
 Item C. ellis cotton cloth payth lykea clothe iiij.gy- &c" 
 
 and immediately after it the book continues the even, 
 bufinefs-like tenour of its way, and dilates upon " The 
 rekenyng to bey waris in flaundres." The date of 
 1 502 or 1 503 has been afcribed to the " Chronicle ", 
 folely for the reafon that the laft fherifFs in the com- 
 piler's lift, in the firft edition, are Henry Keble and 
 Nicolas Nynes, in the 18th year of King Henry 
 VIII., viz., 1502. This date may or may not be 
 rightly afcribed, and need only be queftioned if the 
 title of the poem of the " Nut-brown Maid " to be 
 confidered a ballad ftands good. 
 
 What is a ballad ? or rather what was a ballad ? 
 for we all know its prefent meaning. Chaucer and 
 others ufed the term " balade " for a fong written in 
 a particular rhythm, but that definition pafTed away, 
 and it came certainly to mean a popular fong on fome 
 warlike feat, or adventure, love or intrigue, of more 
 or lefs extent, but ftill fhort enough to be fung, and, 
 as I take it, to be fung by one perfon only, there 
 being no antiphonal ballads properly fo called. But 
 the whole of the " Nut-brown Maid " from the 
 
THE SCOTTTSSHE KTNGE. 7 
 
 twenty-fecond line (out of 180) is a metrical dialogue 
 between the knight and the maid, and is, moreover, 
 intended to be fo : — 
 
 Line 13. "Than betwene vs, lete vs difcufle, what was all the 
 maner 
 
 14. Be twene them too, we wyl alfo, telle all they peyne 
 
 in fere 
 
 1 5 . That ftie was in, now I begynne, foo that ye me anfwere." 
 
 This removes it at once out of the category of a ballad. 
 That it has hitherto been thus defcribed is of no im- 
 portance, and, until this "ballade of the Scottyfhe 
 Kynge" was found, it was fcarcely worth while to 
 remove the " Nut-brown Maid " from the poll of 
 honour. Profeflbr Skeat and others have, neverthe- 
 lefs, accepted this as a ballad ; and granting that the 
 " Nut-brown Maid " thoroughly fulfils all the condi- 
 tions of a ballad, I ftill claim the higheft honours for 
 the " Scottyfshe Kynge," on the ground that it is inde- 
 pendently publifhed, that it has a title and a colophon, 
 and that it ftyles itfelf a ballad, thus leaving no doubt 
 as to its chara6ter. It, therefore, ftands at prefent as 
 the earlieft printed Engli(h ballad. 
 
Sk^ 
 
 ^ 
 
 S^p 
 
 l^s 
 
 f^ 
 
 ^ 
 
 ^^^^^ 
 
 
 m 
 
 ^S 
 
 ^^S 
 
 'fm 
 
 ^ 
 
 ^^^^^1 
 
 f^^r 
 
 w^^ 
 
 M^^lyl 
 
 ^!^^^»2 
 
 jMf 
 
 pRs] 
 
 ^^j^SpfeOjClMl 
 
 Jk2^ 
 
 f^ 
 
 s^^A 
 
 a^^felO 
 
 ^^ 
 
 ^g 
 
 ^^g^^^lgl 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE BALLADE OF THE SCOTTYSSHE 
 KYNGE. 
 
 HE defcription of this poem in the 
 Britifh Mufeum Catalogue is as fol- 
 lows : — 
 
 ''James IV. King of Scotland. A 
 ballade of the Scottyfshe Kynge (com- 
 mencing ' Kynge Jamy, Jomy your Joye is all go ; ') 
 on the battle of Floddon by John Skelton, B.L. 
 Richard Fawkes. London, 15 13. 4°. Note. 4 
 leaves without title page or pagination. 3 1 lines to 
 the full page. Beneath the title is a woodcut repre- 
 fenting two Knights; and beneath the woodcut are 
 the firft four lines of the letterprefs. This ballad was 
 included in ' a treatyfe of the Scottes ' publifhed later 
 among ' Certayne bokes copyled by Mayfter Skelton ' 
 but with many variations. It is believed to be the 
 firft printed Engliih Ballad." 
 
 As far as is known this piece is unique, and its 
 
A BALLADE OF THE SCOTTYSSHE KTNGE. 9 
 
 hiftory is fomewhat romantic. On opening the book 
 is found the pen-and-ink note : — 
 
 "'A ballade of the Scottyfshe Kynge.' This 
 formed the infide of the wooden cover of an old folio 
 volume belonging to Mifs Chafyn Grove of Zeals 
 Houfe, Bath. The old book, with a great many 
 more, had lain for years on the floor of a garret in a 
 farm houfe at Whaddon, co. Dorfet (now Mifs 
 Grove's), and both farm houfe and hbrary had come 
 to her by family defcent, from Mr. Bullen Reynes of 
 CO. Dorfet. 
 
 "J. E. Jackfon, 
 
 " Leigh Delamere, 
 " Chippenham, 
 " Hon, Canon of Briftol. 
 "Nov. 9, 1878." 
 
 This authentication is, however, fomewhat meagre, 
 and it is a pity that Canon Jackfon did not enter more 
 fully into the details of its difcovery. It was found, 
 as defcribed, in the cover of the French romance of 
 " Huon of Bordeaux," printed at Paris by Michel le 
 Noir in 15 13, which was bound in oak after its 
 arrival in England. Not the leaft remarkable cir- 
 cumftance connefted with its finding, was that in the 
 other fide cover of the book, were two leaves of a 
 very fcarce tradl on Floddon Field, " The trewe en- 
 countre or . . Batayle lately don betwene Englade 
 and: Scotlande. In whiche batayle the . Scottfshe 
 
lo A BALLADE OF 
 
 Kynge was flayne" and known to be printed by 
 Richard Faques.' This gave an opportunity of com- 
 paring the type and printing of the ballad and profe 
 narrative, and proved that both were the work of 
 Faques, who, indeed, printed at leaft one other book 
 of Skelton's.* In this I moft fully concur, having had 
 
 ' " Richard Fawkes, Faques, or Fakes, is thought by Bagford 
 in his MS. Memoranda, to have been a foreigner, and to have 
 printed in the Monaftery of Syon, wrhile one Myghel Fawkes 
 printed in conjundlion, with Robert Copland in 1535. There is 
 greater probability in the fuppofition that Fawkes was a relation 
 of William Faques the king's printer (who printed from 1 499 to 
 1 508). Few of his books exhibitthe fame fkilfulnefs of execution 
 as do thofe of this latter printer. ' However that be (adds Her- 
 bert), Mr Thomas Wilfon of Leeds in Yorkfhire, in a letter to 
 Mr. Ames, dated April z, ,1751, informed him that Richard 
 Fawkes, printer, was fecond fon of John Fawkes of Farnley Hall, 
 Efqre, in the faid County ; and that in a pedigree he has, of that 
 family, he is called Printer of London.' There is a loofe MS. 
 note in Herbert's ' Memoranda Books ' that Wyer was fervant 
 to Fawkes ; but I have never difcovered a volume in which fuch 
 teftimony appears Time has fpared very few of his publi- 
 cations, and his books may be treafured among the rarities of the 
 typographical art." — " Typographical Antiquities," &c., by the 
 Rev. Thomas Frognall Dibdin, vol. iii., p. 355, ed. 18 16. 
 
 ' " Skelton's Garlande or Chapeletof Laurell," 1523. Quarto. 
 
 " A ryght delegable tratyfe vpon a goodly Garlande or Chape- 
 let of Laurell by mayfter Skelton Poete laureat ftudyoufly dyuyfed 
 at Sheryfhotton Caftell. In f forefte of galtres/ wherein ar c6- 
 pryfyde many & dyuers folacyons & ryghte pregnant alleflyves 
 of fyngular pleafure/ as more at large it doth apere in y" pees 
 folowrynge " 
 
 " C Inpryntyd by me Rycharde faukes dwellydg in dura rent 
 
THE SCOTTTSSHE KTNGE. ii 
 
 an opportunity of comparing them. It feems, how- 
 ever, that this fortunate difcovery was to be full of 
 furprifes, for thefe two leaves were the very ones 
 wanting to complete the copy of this trad in the 
 library of S. Chriftie Miller, Efq., of Craigentinny, 
 and Britwell, Bucks. The Ballad would, in all pro- 
 bability have remained ftill longer unknown to the 
 general public, as it was somewhat hidden ; being 
 catalogued, as we have feen, under the heading 
 "James IV. King of Scotland" — had it not been 
 kindly pointed out to me by Mr. Anderfon of the 
 Britifh Mufeum, who knew my fondnefs for ancient 
 ballad literature. 
 
 The ballad, although not dated, carries with it in- 
 ternal evidence of its date. Indeed, Skelton was in 
 fuch hafte to fing his paean, that he evidently afted 
 on the firft (and incorredt) verfion of the vidlory. 
 It is probable that he did not know of the death of 
 King James ; at any rate, he fpeaks of him all through 
 as living as a prifoner at Norham : — 
 
 " For to the Caftell of Norham 
 I vnderftonde to foone ye cam. 
 For a pryfoner there now ye be 
 Eyther to the devyll or the trinitie," 
 
 er els in Powlis chyrche yarde at the fygne of the j!3!,t0.CX» 
 
 The yere of our lorde god. ^,€€<ll<S,<S,fj:,ii), The. iij. day of 
 Odlobre." 
 
12 A BALLADE OF 
 
 And again : — 
 
 " Of the Kynge of nauerne ye may take hede/ 
 How vnfortunately he doth now fpede/ 
 In double welles now he dooth dreme. 
 That is a Kynge witou a realme 
 At hym example ye wolde none take 
 Experyence hath brought you in the fame brake." 
 
 When Skelton re-wrote the ballad, and publiflied it 
 years after, in " Skelton Laureate againft the Scottes," 
 he was aware of this anachronifin and altered it : — 
 
 " Unto the caftell of Norram 
 I vnderftande, to Tone ye came 
 Thus for your guerdon quyt ar ye 
 Thanked be God in Trinitie." 
 
 " Of the Kyng of Nauerne, ye might take heed 
 Ungracioufly how he doth fpeed 
 In double delynge, fo he did dreme 
 That he is Kynge, without a Reme. 
 And for example he would none take 
 Experiens hath brought you in fuch a brake." 
 
 Skelton evidently confidered it important to be 
 early in the field, and as, from his pofition as poet 
 laureate and the King's orator, he muft needs be 
 loyal above aU to his royal mafter, and thoroughly 
 fevere upon his enemies, he called upon Melpomene — 
 
 " To guyde my pen, and my pen to embibe 
 Illumine me your poet and your fcribe 
 
THE SCOTTTSSHE KTNGE. 13 
 
 That with mixture of Aloes and bitter gall 
 I may compound, confeftures for accordiall 
 To angre the Scottes, and Iriik Kiteringes withal 
 That late were difcomfeft, with battaile marcial." 
 
 If he could do this, and fing his fong of triumph, 
 there was no need of delay until authentic news of the 
 viftory arrived, — fo he fet himfelf to do as he fays : — 
 
 " So that now I haue deuifed 
 And in my minde I haue comprifed 
 Of the proude Scot, King Jemmy 
 To write fome lytell tragedy 
 For no manner confideration 
 Of any forowful lamentation 
 But for our fpecial confolacion 
 Of al our royal Englyfti Nacion." 
 
CHAPTER III. 
 
 BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES OF JOHN SKELTON. 
 
 AVING thus eftabliihed the authorfhip 
 of the ballad, it will be advantageous to 
 put on record fome notices of Skelton 
 himfelf. There are feveral quafi por- 
 traits of Skelton extant — but there is 
 only one likely to be at all reliable. In the " Chape- 
 let of Laurell " is one, but that is evidently from the 
 fame block th?t reprefents the month of April in " le 
 copoft et kalendrier des bergeres " printed by Guy 
 Marchat, Paris, 1499. There was another portrait 
 in an edition of" Dyuers Balletys and Dyties folacious"; 
 but as this alfo did duty for Dr. Boorde (author of 
 Wife Men of Gotham, &c.), it cannot be received as 
 genuine. It feems Angular, that, feeing he was a well- 
 known character, and popular writer, old woodcuts 
 fhould have to do duty for his " vera effigies " ; but 
 fuch is the cafe. 
 
 Another portrait in an edition of " Colin Clout " 
 
A BALLADE OF THE SCOTTTSSHE KYNGE. 15 
 
 printed by Richard Kele, is, to fay the leaft, very 
 dubious, judging by previous experience ; but there is 
 one, — in "Portraits Illuftrating Granger's Biographical 
 Hiftory of England," commonly known as Richardfon's 
 CoUedion, which really does feem a probable likenefs — 
 a flat black cap forms the headpiece of a frank fmiling 
 face, which is rather broad, and with pointed chin. He 
 wears a flight beard and mouftache. He is drefl"ed in 
 a black caflxjck and coat, with a collar flightly laced, 
 hair rather fliort and curling, ears fomewhat prominent. 
 
 The only attempt at authenticating this portrait is, 
 that it is " from an original pifture in the pofleflion 
 of Mr. Richardfon." 
 
 His birthplace is unknown, fome imagining he was 
 born in Norfolk, others that he came from Cumberland, 
 and we are in equal ignorance as to the date of his birth. 
 It is aflumed that it could not be earlier than 1460, and 
 the reafoning by which this furmife has been arrived at, 
 is that probably one of the earliefl poems he wrote was 
 that " Of the Death of the Noble prince Kynge Ed- 
 warde the forth", who died 1483. It is certain that 
 he fl:udied at Oxford, and was laureated there fome- 
 where about 1490, for in the preface to " the boke of 
 Eneydos compyled by Vyrgyle," which was tranflated 
 from the French by Caxton, and publiflied by him in 
 1490, we find "But I praye mayfter John Skelton, 
 late created poete laureate in the vnyuerfite of oxen- 
 ford, to ouerfee and corred this fayd booke." Search 
 
l6 A BALLADE OF 
 
 was made in the Oxford records by the Rev. Dr, 
 Blifs, who was unable to find any trace of Skelton's 
 diftindion, but the poet himfelf fays : — 
 
 " At Oxforth the vniverfyte 
 Auaunfid I was to that degre ; 
 By hole confent of theyr fenate, 
 I was made poete laureat.'" 
 
 Shortly after, the Univerfity of Cambridge conferred 
 an ad eundem degree on him. "An. Dom. 1493 et 
 Hen. 7. nono, Conceditur Johi Skelton Poete in 
 partibus tranfmarinis * atque Oxon. Laurea ornato, ut 
 apud nos eadem decoraretur," and in 1 504-5 this was 
 again mentioned, and the right of wearing the habit 
 which the King had granted was conceded to him. 
 He was not a little proud of this habit, and in his 
 poems againf): Garnefche he mentions it feveral times. 
 
 " What eylythe the, rebawde, on me to raue ? 
 A Kyng to me myn habyte gaue : " 
 
 It feems to have been white and green, and exceedingly 
 fine, for he fays : — 
 
 " Your fworde ye fwere, I wene, 
 So tranchaunt and fo kene, 
 Xall Kyi both wyght and grene : 
 Your foly is to grett 
 The Kynges colours to threte." 
 
 ^ " Skelton Laureate defendar ageinft lufty Garnyflie well be- 
 feen Chryftofer Chalangar, et cetera" lines 81-4. 
 " Louvain, where he had alfo ftudied. 
 
THE SCOTTTSSHE KTNGE. 17 
 
 On this habit, or on fome other portion of his attire, 
 the name of his Mufe Calliope was embroidered. 
 
 " Why were ye Calliope embrawdred with letters of golde ? 
 Skelton Laureate. Orato. Reg. maketh this aunfwere &°— 
 Calliope 
 As ye may fe, 
 Regent is flie 
 
 Of poetes al, 
 Whiche gaue to me 
 The high degre 
 Laureat to be 
 
 Of fame royall ; 
 Whofe name enrolde 
 With filke and golde 
 I dare be bolde 
 
 Thus for to were 
 Of her I holde 
 And her houlholde ; 
 Though I waxe olde 
 
 And fomedele fere 
 Yet is flie fayne, 
 Voyde of difdayn, 
 Me to retayne 
 
 Her feruiture : 
 With her certayne 
 I will remayne 
 As my fouerayne 
 
 Mooll of pleafure 
 
 Maulgre touz malheureux." 
 
 Skelton followed the cuftom of moft learned men 
 of that age, he entered the Church, and was admitted 
 to the grade of fubdeacon on the 31ft March, deacon 
 
 c 
 
1 8 A BALLADE OF 
 
 14th April, and ordained prieft 9th June, a.d. 1498. 
 It is uncertain when he was appointed tutor to Prince 
 Henry, afterwards Henry VIII., but he had bafked 
 in the funfhine of court favour for fome time pre- 
 vioufly, for he celebrated the creation of Prince 
 Arthur as Prince of Wales and Earl of Chefter in 
 A.D. 1489 in a compofition called "Prince Arthur's 
 Creacyoun," — a piece which is not now extant, — and 
 when Prince Henry was created Duke of York in 
 A.D. 1494, Skelton feized the opportunity of dedica- 
 ting fome Latin verfes to his patron. He feems alio 
 to have attended to the ftudies of his young charge, 
 for he writes,* 
 
 " The Duke of Yorkis creauncer whan Skelton was 
 Now Henry the VIII. Kyng of Englonde, 
 A Tratyfe he deuyfid and browght it to pas, 
 Callid Speculum Principis, to here in his honde 
 Therin to rede ; and to vnderftande 
 All the demenour of princely aftate, 
 To be Qur Kyng, of God preordinate." 
 
 No date has been affigned to his appointment as 
 Redor of Difs in Norfolk, which preferment he feems 
 to have held till his death, but that he had the living 
 in 1504 there can be no doubt, for his fignature 
 "Matter John Skelton. Laureat. Parfon of Difle," 
 appears as a witnefs to the will of Mary Cooper of 
 Difs in that year. Here, however, he came under 
 
 ' " Garlande of Laurell." 
 
THE SCOTTTSSHE KTNGE. 
 
 '9 
 
 the heavy dilpleafure of his diocefan. Nix or Nykke, 
 on account of his marriage, condudt which would 
 hardly call forth fuch a heavy punilhment now-a-days.^ 
 
 'In 1873 Mr. Walter de Gray Birch, F.S.A., difcovered 
 among the MSS. of Mr. William Bragge, F.S.A., at Sheffield, an 
 unpubliflied lyric by Skelton referring to this epifode in the 
 domeftic life of the poet. From the allufion to the feparation of 
 a hufband and wife, when the latter was " ny off progeny," we may 
 fairly conclude that it was written fhortly after Skelton's enforced 
 feparation from his wife, during his refuge at Weftminften The 
 poem, which formed the fubjeft of a communication by Mr. 
 Birch to the " Athenaeum,'* is as follows : — 
 
 " Petevelly 
 Conftraynd am y 
 With weepyng y 
 
 " Thatt we fo ny 
 off progeny 
 So fodenly 
 
 " When yee are goyn 
 Conforte ys noyne 
 Butt al a looyne 
 
 " With grevyly groyne 
 Makyng my moyne 
 As hytt where oone 
 
 " With chance fodyne 
 SoQ doythe me ftrayne 
 Yn every wayne 
 
 " I cannott layne 
 Nor yeet refrayne 
 Myne yes tweyne 
 
 to morne and playne. 
 
 Schuld parte on twayhCj 
 
 Endewre rauft y. 
 
 That fchuld nedys dy. 
 
 That for no thyng, 
 
 Frome foore wepyng." 
 
20 A BALLADE OF 
 
 Fuller ^ fays " The Dominican Friars were the next 
 he contefted with, whofe vitioufnefs lay pat enough 
 for his hand ; but fuch foul Lubbers fell heavy on all 
 which found fault with them. Thefe inftigated Nix 
 Biftiop of Norwich, to call him to account for keeping 
 a Concubine, which coft him, (as it feems) a fufpenfion 
 
 from his benefice We muft not forget 
 
 how being charged by fome on his death bed for be- 
 getting many children on the aforefaid Concubine ; he 
 protefted, that in his Confcience he kept her in the 
 notion of a wife, though fuch his cowardlinefs that he 
 would rather confefs adultery, (then accounted but a 
 venial ;) than own Marriage efteemed a capital crime 
 in that age." 
 
 But one can hardly fancy jovial, hard-hitting 
 Skelton, whofe " talke was as he wraet," as a prieft. 
 As Anthony Wood * fays of him, he " was efteemed 
 more fit for the ftage than the pew or pulpit," and, 
 indeed, the " certayne merye tales of Skelton, Poet 
 Lauriat," countenance the afTertion ; and the old ftory 
 of " Long Meg of Weftminfter " fhows him as drink- 
 ing at an inn with his hoftefs, a Spanifh knight called 
 Sir James of Caftille, and Will Somers, and fpeaks of 
 him as being in " his mad merrie vein." Church- 
 yarde writes that he was " feldom out of Princis grace " 
 
 ' " The Hiftory of the Worthies of England endeavoured by 
 Thomas Fuller, D.D." Lond. i66z, p. 257. 
 - Blifs' edition of "Ath. Oxon.," vol. i., p. 50. 
 
THE SCOTTrSSHE KTNGE. zi 
 
 — he had the favour both of his royal mafter and of 
 Cardinal Wolfey, He was clofely allied in friendfhip 
 with the latter in 1519, for " Lautre envoy" to the 
 "Garlande of Laurell" is dedicated "Ad fereniflimam 
 maieftatem regiam, pariter cum domino Cardinali 
 Legato a latere honorificatiflimo, &c.," and Wolfey 
 was not fole legate until that year, having previoufly 
 been joined with Campeggio. Another paflage in his 
 works fhows he enjoyed the cardinal's favour. We 
 read in " Lenvoy " appended to " Howe the douty 
 duke of Albany, lyke a cowarde knyght, ran awaye 
 fhamfully with an hundred thoufande tratlande fcottes 
 and faint harted frenchemen: befide the water of 
 Twede, &c." : — 
 
 " Skelton Laureat. obfequious et loyall 
 
 To my lorde Cardynals right noble grace, &c. 
 
 Lenvoy. 
 
 Go lytell quayre apace 
 In mooft humble wyfe 
 Before his noble grace 
 That caufed you to deuife 
 This lytel enterprife 
 And hym mooft lowly pray 
 In hys mynde to comprife 
 Thofe wordes his grace dyd faye 
 Of an ammas gray. 
 
 Je, Foy enterment 
 
 En fa bone grace." 
 
 On account of a circumftance, the reafon of which 
 
22 A BALLADE OF 
 
 has not yet been made apparent, his pen fo lafhed the 
 cardinal, efpecially in " Why come ye not to Court," 
 which is a grofs perfonal attack, and " Speake parrot," 
 that his eminence became his better enemy. And 
 this is not to be wondered at, for in the former poem 
 Skelton rails violently againft him. We may take 
 one or two paflages out of feveral, for example : — 
 
 " But this mad Amalecke. 
 
 Like to Amamalek 
 
 He regardeth Lordes 
 
 No more than potlhordes 
 
 He is in fuch elacion 
 
 Of his exaltacion 
 
 And the fupportacion 
 
 Of our Soueraine Lorde 
 
 He ruleth al at will 
 
 Without reafon or fkyll 
 
 Howbeit they be prymordyall 
 
 Of hys wretched originall 
 
 And his bafe progeny 
 
 And his grefy genealogy 
 
 He came of the ranke roiall 
 
 That was caft out of a bouchers ftall 
 
 For he was parde 
 No doftour of devinitie 
 Nor doftor of the law. 
 Nor of none other faw. 
 But a poore maifter of arte 
 
THE SCOTTrSSHE KTNGE. 23 
 
 God faue hys noble grace 
 And graunt'him a place 
 Endlefle to dwel 
 With the deuill of hel 
 For and he were there 
 We nead neuer feare 
 Of the feendes blacke 
 For I vndertake 
 He wold fo brag and Crake 
 That he wold than make 
 The deuils to quake." 
 
 The cardinal caufed meafures to be taken with a 
 view to apprehend him, but Skelton fled, and took 
 fanftuary at Weflminfter with his old friend Abbot 
 Iflip. There he remained moft probably until his 
 death, 'which occurred 2ifl June, 1529. He was 
 buried in the chancel of St. Margaret's, Wefl:minfl:er. 
 
 The quaint poet Churchyarde thus writes of the 
 departed Laureate : — 
 
 " Ohe fhall I leaue out Skeltons name 
 
 The bloflbme of my frute 
 The tree wheron indeed 
 
 My branchis all might groe 
 Nay Skelton wore the Laurell wreath 
 
 And paft in Schoels ye knoe. 
 A poet for his arte, 
 
 Whoes iudgment fuer was hie. 
 And had great prafties of the pen, 
 
 His works they will not lie. 
 His terms to taunts did lean, 
 
 His talk was as he wraet : 
 
24 ^ BALLADE OF THE SCOTTTSSHE KYNGE. 
 
 Full quick of witte, right fliarp of words, 
 
 And fkilfull of the ftaet. 
 Of reafon riep and good. 
 
 And to the haetfuU mynd : 
 That did difdain his doings ftill, 
 
 A £kornar of his kynd. 
 Moft pleafant euery way. 
 
 As poets ought to be : 
 And feldom out of Princis grace 
 
 And great with eche degre." 
 
 It has been the fafliion to criticife Skelton for the 
 language which he ufed. Pope even went fo far as to 
 call him " beaftly Skelton," and Mifs Agnes Strickland 
 was particularly fevere upon him ; but thefe writers 
 ignore the ftate of fociety as it then was, and forget 
 that both Rabelais and Skelton wrote for a purpofe ; 
 Southey with better difcernment fays : " Unlefs Skel- 
 ton had written thus for the coarfeft palates he could 
 not have poured forth his bitter and undaunted fatire 
 in fuch perilous times." 
 
^^^^^^9 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 H 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 l^g 
 
 
 ^Sa 
 
 ^^ 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 THE BATTLE OF FLODDON. 
 
 HE battle of Floddon has had many 
 chroniclers, and ftudents of hiftory are 
 familiar with its details, but it is ne- 
 ceflary, in order thoroughly to under- 
 ftand Skelton's ballad, that the ground 
 ftiould be gone over yet once again. 
 
 James IV., King of Scots, was in the feventeenth year 
 of his age when he afcended the throne, having been 
 born 17 May, 1471, and yet even at this early age he 
 had pafled through much trouble. He never ceafed 
 to bear in mind that his father's fad and violent death 
 had placed him upon the throne ; reached as it was by 
 the fearful ftep of filial rebellion. The confederate 
 barons rofe againft James III., who marched on Stirling, 
 where Shaw, the governor of the caftle and guardian 
 to the young prince, refufed him admiffion. The 
 confederates approached, and the prince joined them. 
 
26 A BALLADE OF 
 
 fo that both fides difplayed the Royal Standard. It 
 was at Sauchie Burn, between Bannockburn and 
 Stirling, that the armies joined. The fight was very far 
 from delperate, but the timorous king fled. His grey 
 horfe galloping along, was frightened by a miller's wife 
 dropping the, pitcher which (he was filling at a well, 
 and the king was thrown to the ground. He was 
 carried into the miller's houfe and laid on a bed, where 
 he difclofed himfelf, and defired that a prieft fliould be 
 fummoned to ihrive him. The woman ran out calling 
 for a priefl; for the king, and a man who was paffing 
 at the time, under pretence of performing this laft 
 office of the church, entered the houfe and ftooped 
 over the king's bed, and ftabbed him many times. The 
 feigned prieft fled, and was never found. ^ 
 
 ^ Lindfay's " Chronicles of Scotland " gives the following ac- 
 count of the king's death: — " Cuming throw the toun of Bannock- 
 burne, ane voman perceaved ane man cuming fall vpoun hors, flioe 
 being carrieing in watter, cam faft away and left the jug behind 
 her ; fo the Kingis hors lap the burne and flak of friewill quhair- 
 fra the voman cam. The King being evill fittin, (i.e. riding badly) 
 fell aff his hors befoir the mylne doore of Bannockburne, and fo 
 was bruifed with the fall, being heavie in armour, that he fell in 
 ane deadlie fowne : And the miller and his wayff harled him into 
 the mylne, and not knowing quhat he was, keft him vp in ane nuik 
 and covered him with ane cloath ; . . . . And be the Kingis 
 enemies war reteiring back, the King himfelff over came lying 
 in the mylne, and cryed, if thair was ane preift to mak his 
 confeffioun. The myller and his wayff heiring thir wordis, in- 
 quyred of him quhat man he was, and what was his name. He 
 
THE SCOTTTSSHE KTNGE. 27 
 
 His father's death preyed upon young James's mind, 
 for although he was not adtively aflbciated with it, yet 
 he could not but deem himfelf to have been in fome 
 refpedts the caufe of the king's tragic end, as he was 
 in arms againft his father at the time, 
 
 Holinflied fays : " his eldeft fbn James the fourth 
 was crowned King of Scotland and began his reigne 
 the 24 of June in the yeare 1488 being not paft fix- 
 teene yeeres of age, who notwithftanding that he had 
 beene in the field with the nobles of the realme againft 
 his father, that contrarie to his mind was flaine ; yet 
 neuertheleffe afterwards, hee became a right noble 
 prince & feemed to take great repentance for that 
 his ofFenfe, and in token therof, he ware continuallie 
 an iron chaine about his midlg all the dales of his life." 
 
 happened to fay, vnhappilie ' This day at morne I was your King' 
 Than the milleris wayff clapped her handis, and ran furth and 
 cryed for ane prieft. In this meane tyme ane prieft was cuming 
 by ; fum fays he was my lord Grayes fervand ; quho anfweired 
 and faid " heir am I ane preift, quhair is the King ? " Then the 
 milleris wayff tuik the prieft by the hand, and led him in at the 
 mylne doore, and how foone the faid preift faw the King, he* knew 
 him incontinent, and kneilled doun on his knies, and fpeired at the 
 Kingis grace if he might live if he had guid leichment : he an- 
 fweired him he trowed he might bot he wold have had a preift to 
 tak his adwyce, and to give him his facrament. The preift an- 
 fweired, that fall I doe haiftilie, — and pulled out ane whinger, and 
 ttrak him four or fyve tymes evin to the heart, and fyne gatt him 
 on his back and had him away. Bot no man knew quh^t he did 
 with him, nor quhair he buried him." 
 
28 A BALLADE OP THE SCOTTTSSHE KTNGE. 
 
 This chain he increafed in weight every year by the 
 addition of another link, and it was the abfence of this 
 chain on the king's body when found after the battle 
 of Floddon that caufed the rumour that he was not 
 killed, but had efcaped, and would come again to reign 
 over his country. 
 
CHAPTER V. 
 
 EVENTS IN THE REIGN OF JAMES IV. OF SCOTLAND. 
 
 THER principal events connedled with 
 England in the reign of James IV. are 
 the afliftance and countenance which 
 the king gave to Perkin Warbeck, and 
 his marriage with Margaret, the daugh- 
 ter of Henry VII., with whom he received a portion 
 of ;^iOjOOO, a jointure of ;^2,ooo per annum, and 
 yearly pin money to the value of ;^33i 6s. Sd. 
 being fettled by the king on his confort. The 
 royal pair were married in June, 1502, Margaret 
 being taken to her hufband by the very Earl of 
 Surrey who was deftined afterwards to meet the king, 
 and conquer him at Floddon. The old chronicler^ 
 tells the ftory very quaintly, " On the fixteenth of 
 June King Henrie tooke his iournie from Richmond, 
 with his daughter the faid ladie Margaret, and came to 
 
 ' Holinftied. 
 
30 A BALLADE OF 
 
 Coliwefton, where his mother the Countefle of Rich- 
 mond then laie. And after he had remained there 
 certeine daies in paftime and great fblace, he tooke 
 leaue of his daughter, giuing her his bleffing with a 
 fatherly exhortation, and committed the conveiance of 
 hir into Scotland vnto the earle of.Surreie, and others. 
 The earle of Northumberland, as then warden of the 
 marches, was appointed to deliuer hir vpon the bor- 
 ders vnto the king of Scotland. And fo this faire 
 ladie was conveied with a g^eat companie of lords, 
 ladies, knights, efquires, and gentlemen, untiU Ihe 
 came to the towne of Berwike, and from thence vnto 
 Lambert church in Lamermoore within Scotland, 
 where fhe was receiued by the king and all the 
 nobles of that realme, and from the faid place of 
 Lamberton church, flie was conveied vnto Eden- 
 burgh, where the day after hir comming thither, fhe 
 was maried vnto the faid king with great and folemne 
 triumph to the high reioifing of all that were pre- 
 fent." 
 
 But, as hiftory not infrequently Ihows, marriage 
 between fcions of royal houfes does not neceflarily 
 produce clofe and continued amity between the na- 
 tions, and the caufes which led to the difaftrous battle 
 of Floddon were not likely to be overcome by fuch 
 relationfhip. Of all hiftorians whofe refearches have 
 led them to treat of this fubjedt, Lingard gives the 
 terfeft and cleareft account of the various events which 
 
THE SCOTTYSSHE KYNGE. 31 
 
 led James to war with England. The paflage is 
 worthy to be quoted in its entirety. Of the marriage 
 between James and Margaret, the hiftorian writes, 
 " This new connedlion did not, however, extinguifh 
 the hereditary partiality of the Scottifh prince for the 
 ancient alliance with France ; and his jealoufy of his 
 Englilh brother was repeatedly irritated by a fucceffion 
 of real or fuppofed injuries, i. James had frequently 
 claimed, but claimed in vain, from the equity of 
 Henry, the valuable jewels which the late king had 
 bequeathed as a legacy to his daughter, the Scottifh 
 queen. 2. In the laft reign he had complained of 
 the murder of Sir Robert Ker, the warden of the 
 Scottifh marches, and had pointed out the baftard 
 Heron of Ford as the aflaffin ; and yet neither Heron, 
 nor his chief accomplices, had been brought to trial. 
 3 . Laftly, he demanded juftice for the death of Andrew 
 Barton. As long ago as 1476, a fhip belonging to 
 John Barton had been plundered by a Portuguefe 
 fquadron ; and in 1 506, juft thirty years afterwards, 
 James granted to Andrew, Robert and John, the 
 three fons of Barton, letters of reprifal, authorizing 
 them to capture the goods of Portuguefe merchants, 
 till they fhould have indemnified themfelves to the 
 amount of twelve thoufand ducats. But the adven- 
 turers found their new profeffion too lucrative to be 
 quickly abandoned ; they continued to make feizures 
 for feveral years ; nor did they confine themfelves to 
 
32 A BALLADE OF 
 
 veflels failing under the Portuguefe flag, but captured 
 Englifh merchantmen, on the pretence that they 
 carried Portuguefe property. Wearied out by the 
 clamour of the fuiFerers, Henry pronounced the Bar- 
 tons pirates, and the lord Thomas and Sir Edward 
 Howard, with the king's permiflion, boarded and cap- 
 tured two of their vefTels in the Downs. In the aftion 
 Andrew Barton received a wound, which proved 
 fatal ; the furvivors were fent by land into Scodand. 
 James confidered the lofs of Barton, the braveft and 
 mofl: experienced of his naval commanders, as a 
 national calamity ; he declared it a breach of the peace 
 between the two crowns ; and in the mofl; peremptory 
 tone demanded fuU and immediate fatisfaftion. Henry 
 fcornfuUy replied, that the fate of a pirate was un- 
 worthy the notice of kings, and that the dilute, 
 if the matter admitted of difpute, might be fetded by 
 the Commiflioners of both nations at their next meeting 
 on the borders. 
 
 " While James was brooding over thefe cauies of 
 difcontent, Henry had joined in the league againft 
 Louis ; and from that moment the Scottifli court 
 became the fcene of the mofl aftive negotiations, the 
 French Ambafl*adors claiming the aid of Scotland, the 
 Englifli infifting on its neutrality. The former ap- 
 pealed to the poverty and the chivalry of the king. 
 Louis made him repeated and valuable prefents of 
 money ; Anne, the French queen, named him her 
 
THE scorrrssHE ktnge. 33 
 
 knight, and fent him a ring from her own finger. 
 He cheerfully renewed the ancient alliance between 
 Scotland and France, with an additional claufe recipro- 
 cally binding each prince to help his ally againft all 
 men whomfoever. Henry could not be ignorant that 
 this provifion was aimed againft himfelf ; but he had 
 no reafon to complain ; for in the laft treaty of peace, 
 the kings of England and Scotland had referved to 
 themfelves the power of fending military aid to any of 
 their friends, provided that aid were confined to de- 
 fenflve operations. 
 
 " It now became the objedt of the Englifh envoys 
 to bind James to the obfervance of peace during the 
 abfence of Henry. Much diplomatic finefTe was dif- 
 played by each party. To every projedl prefented by 
 the Englifh the Scottifh cabinet afTented, but with 
 this perplexing provifo, that in the interval no incur- 
 fion fhould be made beyond the French frontier. Each 
 negotiated and armed at the fame time. It had been 
 agreed that, to redrefs all grievance, an extraordinary 
 meeting of commiffioners fhould be held on the borders 
 during the month of June. Though in this arrange- 
 ment both parties adted with equal infincerity, the 
 Englifh gave the advantage to their opponents, by 
 demanding an adjournment to the middle of Oftober. 
 Their obje6t could not be concealed. Henry was 
 already in France ; and James having fummoned his 
 fubjedls to meet him on Burrow Moor, defpatched his 
 
34 -^ BALLADE OF THE SCOTTTSSHE KYNGE. 
 
 fleet with a body of three thoufand men to the affis- 
 tance of Louis." 
 
 This very clear and concife hiftorical account brings 
 us down to the time of the ballad, which I fhall en- 
 deavour, as far as poffible, to illuftrate by extradis from 
 the writings of contemporary, or nearly contemporary", 
 hiftorians. 
 
 
CHAPTER VI. 
 
 CONTEMPORARY EVIDENCE RELATING TO THE BALLAD. 
 
 ORD HERBERT was then befieging 
 Tereouenne, a town in the province of 
 Artois, to the fouth-eaft of Calais, and 
 the Earl of Shrewsbury had been fent 
 with a divifion to fupport him, when on 
 21 July, 1 5 13, Henry marched out of Calais, with an 
 army of 1 5,000 horfe and foot. Near Ardres they en- 
 countered a ftrong detachment of French cavalry, who 
 however withdrew, having executed a part of their 
 miffion, that of fupplying the town with provifions and 
 ammunition. He joined the forces of Lord Herbert 
 and the Earl of Shrewfbury, and fat down before the 
 town, whofe fiege was to be (o flow, and whofe ultimate 
 fate was deftruftion. However, unpropitious weather 
 prevented the Englifh king from occupying the won- 
 derful pavilion of filk and cloth of gold and blue 
 damafk, and he had to inhabit a wooden houfe. The 
 fiege progrefTed until, to ufe the words of the chronicler 
 
36 A BALLADE OF 
 
 from whom I fliall have occafion prefendy to quote 
 confiderably*: — "The xi daie of Auguftbeyingthurf- 
 day, the Kynge lyeing at the fiege of Tyrwyn, had 
 knowlege that Maximilian theperour was in y' towne 
 of Ayre. The Kyng prepared al thinges neceffarie 
 to mete with themperour in triumph. The noble 
 men of the Kynges camp were gorgeoufly apparelled, 
 ther couriers barded with cloth of gold, of damafke & 
 broderie, there apparell all tiffue cloth of gold and 
 fyluer, and gold fmithes woorke, great cheynes of 
 balderickes of gold and belles of bullion, but in 
 efpecial y" duke of Buckingham, he was in purple 
 fatten, his apparel and his barde full of Antelopes and 
 fwannes of fyne gold bullion and full of Ipangyls and 
 littell belles of gold meruelous coftly and pleafat to 
 behold. The Kyng was in a garment of greate riches 
 in iuels as perles and ftone, he was armed in a light 
 armure, the mafter of hys horfe folowed him with a 
 fpare horfe, the henxmen folowed beryng the Kyngs 
 pecesof harnys, eueryone mounted on a greate courier, 
 the one bare the helme, the feconde his graugarde, the 
 thirde his ^ere, the fourth his axe, and fo euery one 
 had fome thyng belonging to a man of armes ; the 
 apparell of the ix henxmen were white clothe of 
 golde and crymfyn cloth of gold, richely embrawdered 
 with goldefmythes woorke, the trappers of the corfets 
 were mantell barneys coulpened, and in every vent a 
 
 ' Hall, edit. 1548. 
 
THE SCOTTrSSHE KTNGE. 37 
 
 longe bel of fyne gold, and on euery pendant a depe 
 taffel of fyne gold in bullion, whiche trappers were 
 very ryche. The Kyng and themperour met between 
 ayre and the camp, in the fowleft wether that lightly 
 hath bene fene. Themperour gentely enterteined the 
 Kyng, and the Kyng lykewyfe hym, and after a littell 
 communicacion had betwene them by caufe the wether 
 was foule, departed for that tyme. The Emperor and 
 all his men were at that daie all in black Cloth for the 
 Emprice his wife was lately difleafed." Maximilian 
 had come nominally to place himfelf as a volunteer 
 under Henry. 
 
 We now come to that portion of the eventful time 
 which more particularly belongs to our fubjedb : — 
 " After that the Kyng was thus retorned to his campe, 
 within a day or twayne ther arryued in the army a 
 Kyng of Armes of Scotlad called Lyon with his cote 
 of armes on his back, and defyred to fpeke with the 
 Kyng, who within fhorte tyme was by Garter chefFe 
 Kynge of armes brought to the Kinges prefence, 
 where he beying almoft difmayed feynge the Kyng fo 
 nobly accompanied, with few woordes and metely 
 good reuerence, deliuered a letter to the King, which 
 receued y° letter and redde it him felfe, and when he 
 had redde it, without any more delay, he hym felfe 
 aunlwered after this forte. Nowe we perceyue the 
 Kynge of Scottes our brother in law & your mafter 
 to be y' fame perfon whom we euer toke hym to be. 
 
38 A BALLADE OF 
 
 for we neuer eftemed hym to be of any truthe & fo 
 nowe we haue founde it, for notwithftandynge his 
 othe, his promife in y" woorde of Kynge & his owne 
 hand and feale, yet now he hath broke his faithe and 
 promife to his great difhonour and infamie for euer, 
 and entendeth to inuade our realme in our abfence 
 whiche he dirft not ones attempte, our perfon beynge 
 prefente, but he fheweth himfelfe not to be degenerate 
 from the condicions of his forefathers, whofe faythes 
 for the moft parte hath euer byn violated and ther pro- 
 miles never obferued, farther then they Hfte. Therfore 
 tell thy matter, firft that he ihall neuer be comprifed 
 in any league where in I am a confederate, & alfo 
 that I fulpedtyng his treuth (as now the dede proueth) 
 haue left an earle in my realme at home whiche fhalbe 
 able to defende him and all his powre, for we haue 
 prouided fo that he fhall not fynde our land deftitute 
 of people as he thynketh to do ; but thus faye to thy 
 mafter, that I am the very owner of Scotlad and y' he 
 holdeth it of me by homage,* and in fo much as now 
 contrary to his bounden duety he beinge my vaflall, 
 doth rebell againft me, w' Gods help I fhal at my 
 returne expulfe him his realme and fo tell hym : fir 
 fayd the Kyng of Armes, I am his naturall fubiefte & 
 he my naturall lord, & y' he commaundeth me to fay, I 
 
 1 See Ballad :— 
 
 " Now muft ye knowe our Kynge for your regent/ 
 your isouerayne lorde and prefedent/" 
 
THE SCOTTTSSHE KTNGE. 39 
 
 may boldely fay w" fauor, but the commaundementes of 
 other I may not, nor dare not faye to my fouereigne 
 lord, but your letters may with your honour fent, 
 declare your pleafure, for I may not fay fuche woordes 
 of reproche to him whome I owe only my allegeaunce 
 & fayth. Then fayd the Kyng, wherfore came you 
 hyther, will you receyue no aunfwere ? yes fayde 
 Lio your anlwere requireth doyng and no writynge, 
 that is, that immediately you fhould returne home : 
 Well faid the Kyng I wyll returne to your domage at 
 my pleafure, and not at thy matters fomonyng. Then 
 the Kyng commaunded garter to take hym to his tente 
 & make him good chere, which fo dyd, and cheriflied 
 him wel for he was fore appalled : after he was 
 departed the Kynge fent for all the chefe capitaynes, 
 and before them and all his counfaill caufed the letter 
 to be redde, the trewe tenor whereof foloweth woorde 
 by worde. 
 
CHAPTER VII. 
 
 Continuation. 
 
 THE LETTER OF THE KYNG OF SCOTTES.* 
 
 IGHT excellent, right high, and mighty 
 Prince, our deereft brother & Coufyng, 
 we commaunde vs vnto you in our mayft 
 harty maner, & receuyed fra RafF he- 
 raulde your letters qtihatuntill, you ap- 
 proue and allow the doynges of your commiflioners 
 lately beyng with ours, at the borders of bathe the 
 realmes for makyng of redrefle, quylke is thought to 
 you and your counfell fhould be continuet and delaet to 
 the XV daye of Odbober. Als ye write flaars by fee aught 
 not copere perfonally, but by their attorneis. And in 
 your other letters with our herauld Hay ye afcertaine 
 
 ' This letter, and Henry's reply, appear alfo in Harl. MSS. 
 2252, and in Holinflied, but as the variations between them are fo 
 very trifling, I ftill quote Hall. 
 
A BALLADE OF THE SCOTTTSSHE RTNGE. 41 
 
 vs ye will nought entre into the treux taken between 
 the maft Chriftian kyng and your father of Aragon 
 becaufe ye and others of the hale liege, neither fhould 
 ne make peace, treux nor abftinece of warre with 
 your common enemy without confent of all the Con- 
 federates. And that the Emperour Kyng of Aragon, 
 ye and euery of you be bounden to make acSlual warre 
 this inftant fommer agaynft your common enemie. 
 And that fo to do is concluded and openly fworne in 
 Paules kyrke at London vpon fainfte Markes daye 
 laft by paft. And ferther haue denyed faue conduyte 
 vpon our requeftes y' a Seruitor of ours might haue 
 reforted your prefence, as our herauld Hay reportes : 
 Right excellet, right high, and mightie Prince our 
 dereft brother and Coufyng, the fayd metyng of our 
 and your commiffioners at the borders, was peremp- 
 torily appoynted betwyxt you and vs eftir diuers dietes 
 for reformacio before contynued to the Commiffioners 
 metynge, to effedte that due redrefle fuld haue ben 
 made at the fayde metynge, lyke as for our parte our 
 Commiffioners offered to haue made that tyme ; and 
 for your part na malefadtour was then arretted to the 
 fayde diet. And to glofe the fame, ye nowe wright, 
 that flaars by fee nede not compere perfonally, but by 
 their attourneys,quylk is agayne lawe of GOD and man. 
 And get in crimenall accion, all flaars fulde nought 
 compere perfonally, na punicion fulde folowe for 
 flaughter, and than vane were it to feke farther 
 
42 A BALL ABE OF 
 
 metynges or redreffe. And hereby apperes as the 
 dede ftiewes that ye wyll nouther kepe gude weyes of 
 iuftice and equitie nor kindnes with vs, the greate 
 wronges and unkyndnes done before to vs and our 
 ]yeges we ponderate quhilk we haue fuiFered this long 
 time in vp beryng, maynfwering, nounredreflyng of 
 Attemptates, lb as the byll of the taken of in haldynge 
 of baftard Heron with his comphces in your cuntre, 
 quha flewe our wardan vnder traift of dayes of met- 
 yng for juftice and thereof was filat and ordaynt to 
 be delyuered in flaynge of our hege noblemen vnder 
 colour by your folkes, in takynge of vthers oute of 
 our realme, prifonet and cheinet by the cragges in 
 your cotre, withhalding of our wives legacie promift 
 in your diuerfe letters for difpite of vs, flaughter of 
 Andrewe Barton by your awne commaund quha than 
 had nought oifended to you nor your lieges unre- 
 dreffedj and breakynge of the amitie in that behalfe 
 by your dede, and with haldynge of our fhippes and 
 artilarie to your vfe, quharupon eft our diuerie requi- 
 fitions at your wardens, Commiflioners, Ambafladors, 
 and your felfe, ye wrate & als ihewe by vthers vnto 
 vs, that ful redrefle fuld be made at the fayde metynge 
 of Commiflioners, and fa were in hope of reformacion 
 or at the left ye for our fake walde haue defifted fra 
 inuafion of our frendes and Coufynges with in their 
 awne countreis that haue nought ofi^ended at you as 
 we firfte required you in favoure of oure tendre Cou- 
 
THE SCOTTTSSHE KTHGE. 43 
 
 fynge the duke of Geldre, quham to deftroye and 
 difinherite ye fend your folkes and dudde that was in 
 them. And right fa we latly defyred for our brother 
 and Coufynge the maft Chriften kynge of Fraunce, 
 quham ye haue caufed to tyne his countre of Mil- 
 laigne, and now inuades his felfe quha is with vs in 
 fecunde degree of blude, and hafe ben vnto you kynde 
 witoute ofFenfe, and more kyndar than to vs : not- 
 withftandynge in defenfe of his perfone we mon take 
 parte, and therto ye becaufe of vthers haue gyuen 
 occafion to vs and to our lyeges in tyme by paft, 
 nouther doynge iuftly nor kyndely towardes vs, pro- 
 cedynge alwayes to the vtter deftru(5lion of our nereft 
 frendes, quha mon doo for vs quhan it fhall be necef- 
 farie. In euill example that y° wyll hereafter be better 
 vnto vs quham ye hghtlye fauoure, manifeftly wranged 
 your lifter for our fake in cotrary our writtes. And 
 fayeng vnto our herauld that we giue you fayre wordes 
 & thinkes the cotrary, in dede fuch it is, we gaue you 
 wordes as ye dudde vs, truftynge that ye fhoulde haue 
 emended to vs or worth in kyndar to our frendes for 
 our fakes and fuld nougtight haue ftopped oure fer- 
 uitors paflage to laboure peax, that thei might as the 
 papes hahnes exherted vs by his brevites to do. And 
 ther apon we were contented to haue ouerfene our 
 harmes & to haue remitted the fame, though vther 
 informacion was made to our haly father pape luly 
 by the Cardinal! of Yorke your AmbafTadour. And 
 
44 A BALLADE OF 
 
 fen ye haue now put vs fra all gude beleue through 
 the premifles, and fpecially in denyenge of faueconduyte 
 to our feruauntes to reforte to your prefence, as your 
 ambafTador doctor weft inftantly defyred we fulde 
 ftnde one of our counfayll vnto you apon greate mat- 
 ters, and appoyndtyng of difFerentes debatable betwyxt 
 you and vs, furtheryng of peax yf we might betwyxte 
 the moft Chriften Kyng and you, we neuer harde to 
 this purpofe faueconduite denied betwixte infideles. 
 Herefore we write to you this tyme at length playnes 
 of our mynde, that we require and defyre you to 
 defifte fra farther inuafion and vtter deftrudtio of our 
 brother and Coufyng the mayft Chriften Kyng, to 
 whome by all confederacion bloude and alye and alfo 
 by new bande, quhilk ye haue compelled vs lately to 
 take through your iniuries and harmes without remedy 
 done daily vnto vs, our lieges and fubdites, we are 
 bounds and oblift for mutuall defence ilke of vthers, 
 like as ye and your confederates be oblift for mutuall 
 inuafions and aftual warre : Certifieng you we will 
 take parte in defence of our brother and Coufyng y' 
 maift Chriften Kyng. And wil do what thyng we 
 trayeft may craft caufe you to defift fra perfuite of 
 him, and for denyt and pofpoyndt iuftice to our lieges 
 we mon gyue letters of Marque accordyng to the 
 amitie betwixte you and vs, quharto ye haue had 
 lyttell regarde in tyme by paft, as we haue ordaint 
 our herauld the bearer hereof to faye, gife it like you 
 
THE SCOTTTSSHE KTNGE. 45 
 
 to here him and gyf him credence : right excellent 
 right high and mighty Prince our dereft brother and 
 Coufyng, the Trinitie haue you in kepyng. Geuen 
 vnder our fignet at Edynborowe the xxvi daie of July. 
 
 When the Kynge rede this letter, he fente it in all 
 hafte to the Earle of Surrey into England, whyche 
 then lay at Pomfrett, and caufed another letter to be 
 deuifed to the Kyng of Scottes, the Copie where of 
 foloweth. 
 
 Right excellent, right high, and mighty prince &c, 
 and haue receiued your writyng. Dated at Edenburgh 
 the xxvi daie of July by your heraulde Lyon this 
 bearer, wherein after reherfall and accumulacio of 
 many furmifed iniuries grefes and damages doone by 
 vs & our fubiedtes to you and your lieges, the fpeci- 
 alites whereof were fuperfluous to reherfe, remembryng 
 that to theim and euery of theim in eiFe6t reafonable 
 aunfwere founded Arpon lawe and cofcience hath tofore 
 ben made to you and youre counfail, ye not only 
 requyre vs to defifte from farther inuafion and vtter 
 deftruftion of your brother & Coufyng the French 
 kyng, but alfo certifie vs that you will take parte in 
 defence of the fayd kyng, and that thyng whiche ye 
 truft may rather caule vs to defifte, from perfuite of 
 him, with many contriued occafions and comunications 
 by you caufeles fought and imagened, fownynge to 
 the breache of y° perpetuall peace, pafled, concluded 
 & fworne, betwixte you and vs, of which your im- 
 
46 A BALLADE OF 
 
 magened querelles caufeles deuifed to breake with vs 
 contrarye your othe promifed, al honor and kyndneffe: 
 We cannot maruayle, confideryng the auncient accuf- 
 tomable maners of your progenitours, whiche neuer 
 kept lenger faythe and promife than pleafed theym. 
 Howebeitj yt the loue and dread of God, nighnes of 
 bloud, honour of the world, lawe and reafon, had 
 bound you, we fuppofe ye woulde neuer haue fo farre 
 proceded, specially in our abfence. Wherein the Pope 
 and all princes Chriftened may well note in you, dif- 
 honorable demeanour whan ye lyeing in awayte feke 
 the waies to do that in our fayde abfence, whiche ye 
 woulde have ben well aduifed to attempte, we beynge 
 within our realme and prefent: And for theuident 
 approbation hereof, we nede none other proues ne 
 witnefle but youre owne writynges heretofore to vs 
 fent, we beyng within our realme, wherein ye neuer 
 made mencion of takynge parte with our enemie the 
 Frenche kynge, but paffed the tyme with vs tyU after 
 our departure from our faid realme. And now percafe 
 ye fuppofynge vs too farre from our fayde realme to 
 be deftitute of defenfe agaynft your inuafions, have 
 vttered the olde rancour of your mynde whiche in 
 couert maner ye haue longe kept fecrete. Neuer the 
 leffe, we remembrynge the brytilnes of your promyfe 
 and lufpedtynge though not wholy beleuyng fo much 
 vnftedfaftnes, thought it right expedient and necef- 
 farie to put our faide realme in a redynes for refiftyng 
 
THE SCOTTrSSHE RVNGE. 47 
 
 of your fayde enterprifes, hauyng firme truft in our 
 Lorde GOD and the right wytnes of our caufe with 
 thafliftence of our confederates and Alies wee ftialbe 
 able to refyfte the malice of all Scyfmatyques and 
 their adherentes beyng by the generall counfayll ex- 
 preflely excommunicate and interdyfted, truftynge 
 alfo in tyme conveniente to remember our frendes, and 
 requyte you and our enemies, whiche by fuch vnna- 
 turaU demeanour haue given fufBciente caufe to the 
 dyftierifon of you and your pofteritie for ever from 
 the poflybilitie that ye thynke to haue to the royalme, 
 whiche ye nowe attempte to inuade. And yf the 
 example of the kyng of Nauarre beynge excluded 
 from his royalme for affiftence gyuen to the Frenche 
 kyng cannot reftrayne you fro this vnnaturall deal- 
 ynge, we fuppofe ye fhaU haue lyke affiftence of the 
 fayde Frenche kynge as the kyng of Nauarre hath 
 nowe : Who is a kyng withoute a realme, and fo the 
 Frenche kynge peaceably fuffereth hym to contynue, 
 wherunto good regarde woulde be taken. And lyke 
 as we heretofore touched in thys oure wrytyng, we 
 nede not make any farther aunfwere to the manyfolde 
 greues by you furmyfed in your letter: for as muche 
 as yf any lawe or realbn coulde haue remoued you 
 from your fenfuall opinions, ye haue ben many and 
 often tymes fufficientely aunlwered to the fame: 
 Excepte only to the pretended greues touchynge the 
 denyeing of our faufeconduyte to your Ambaffadoure 
 
48 A BALLADE OF 
 
 too bee laft fent vnto vs: Where vnto we make this 
 aunlwere, that we had graunted the faid faufe conduite, 
 and yf your herauld would haue taken the fame with 
 hym lyke as he hath ben accuftomed to sollicitee 
 faufeconduytes for marchauntes and others hereto- 
 fore, ye might as fone have had that as any other, for 
 we neuer denyed faufeconduyte to any your heges to 
 come vnto vs & no further to pafle, but we fee wel 
 lyke as your fayde herauld hath heretofore mad 
 finifter reporte contrary to trouthe fo hath he done 
 nowe in this cafe as is manifeft and open. FynaUy as 
 towchyng your requifition to defifte from farther 
 attemptyng againfte our enemy the French kyng, we 
 knowe you for no competent iudge of fo high auctho- 
 ritie to requyre vs in that behalfe; wherfor God 
 wiUyng we purpofe with the ayde and affiftence of 
 our confederates & Alies to perfecute the fame, and 
 as ye do to vs and our realme, fo it fhalbe remebred 
 and acquited hereafter by the helpe of our lord and 
 our Patrone sainft George. Who righte excellente, 
 right highe and myghtie Prince &c. Geuen vnder 
 our fignet in our campe before Tyrwyn the xii daye 
 of Auguft.^ 
 
 When this letter was written and fealed, the Kynge 
 
 ' This date fliows that Lyon was waiting for the King on his 
 return from meeting Maximilian — the anfwer muft have been 
 written the next day. 
 
 Skelton evidently faw copies of thefe letters immediately 
 
THE scorrrssHE ktnge. 49 
 
 fent for Lyon the Scottyfh heraulde and declared to 
 hym that he had wel confidered his mafters letter, 
 and therto had made a reafonable anfwere, and gaue 
 to hym in rewarde a hundred angels, for which rewarde 
 he humbly thaked the kyng and fo taried with gartier 
 al night, and euer he fayde that he was fory to thynke 
 what domage fhoulde be done in Englande by his 
 Mafter or the kynge returned, and fo the nexte daye 
 he departed into Flaunders wyth hys Letter to haue 
 taken fhyppe to fayle in to Scotlande, but or he 
 coulde haue ftiyp and wynde hys mafter was flayne." 
 
 after their arrival in England — as he makes ufe of the very 
 phrafeology — -" Who is a Kynge withoute a realme," when fpeak- 
 ing of the_^King of Navarre, 
 
CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 COMMENCEMENT OF THE SCOTTISH CAMPAIGN. 
 
 jJEANWHILE the Earl of Surrey, who 
 had been left by Henry to look after the 
 Scots, and who had promifed " fo to do 
 my duety that your grace fhall fynde me 
 diligent, and to fulfill your will Ihalbe 
 my gladnes," fent Sir William Bulmer to look after the 
 Border land. And it was lucky he did fo, for " one daye 
 in Auguft, the lorde Chamberlayne and Warden of 
 Scotland with vii or viii 00 men with banner difplayed 
 entered into England and brentand haryed a great praye 
 in Northumberland; that hering Syr Willia bulmer 
 called to hym the gentelmen of the borders with his 
 archers and al they were not a thoufand men. And 
 when they were nere aflembled they brought the felfes 
 in to a brome felde called Mylfeld, where the Scottes 
 fhould paffe. And as y° Scottes proudely returned 
 with their pray, the Englifhmen brake oute, and the 
 
A BALLADE OF THE SCOTTTSSHE KTNGE. 51 
 
 Scottes on fote like men them defended, but the 
 arches fhotte fo holy together, that they made y' 
 Scottes geve place and v or vi hundred of them were 
 flayne, and iii hundred or more taken prifoners, and 
 the pray reckned befide a great nuber of geldinges 
 that were taken in the countrey, and the lorde Hume 
 lorde Chamberlayne fled and his banner taken." 
 
 This was an unlucky beginning for the Scots, and 
 it had the efFeft of caufing James to take the fatal 
 refolution of invading England. But he did not enter 
 into it heartily, and the fuperftitious of that age after- 
 wards called to mind feveral portents in connexion 
 with the commencement of the campaign. Lindfay 
 mentions one or two, " Att this tyme the king came 
 to Lithgow quhair he was at the counfall verrie fad 
 and dollorous, makand his prayeris to God, to fend 
 him ane guid fucces in his voyage.* And thair cam 
 ane man clad in ane blew gowne, belted about him 
 with ane roll of lining, and ane pair of brottikines on 
 his feitt, and all vther thingis conforme thairto. Bot 
 he had nothing on his head, bot fyd hair to his 
 Ihoulderis and bald befoir. He feemed to be ane 
 man of fiftie yeires, and cam fall forwardis, crying 
 among the lordis, and fpeciallie for the king, faying, 
 that he defired to fpeak with him, quhile at the laft he 
 cam to the daflc, quhair the king was at his prayeris. 
 
 ' This ftory is alfo related by Buchanan and Holinfhed. 
 
52 A BALLADE OF 
 
 But when he faw the king he gave him no due 
 reverence nor falutatioun, but leined him doun gruf- 
 lingis vpoun the dafk, and faid, " Sir King, my mother 
 has fent me to the, defiring the not to goe quhair 
 thow art purpofed, quhilk if thow doe, thou fall not 
 fair Weill in thy jorney, nor non that is with the. 
 Fardder, fhoe forbad the, not to mell nor vfe the 
 counfell of vomen, quhilk if thow doe, thow wilbe 
 confoundit and brought to fhame." Be this man had 
 fpoken thir wordis to the king, the evin fong was neir 
 done, and the king paufed on thir wordis ; ftudieing 
 to give him ane aniwer. Bot in the meane tyme, 
 befoir the kingis eyis, and in the prefence of the whoU 
 lordis that war about him for the tyme, this man 
 evanifched away, and could be no more feine. I 
 heard Sir David Lindfay, lyon herald,^ and Johne 
 Inglis the marchell, who war at that tyme young men, 
 and fpeciall fervandis to the kingis grace, thought to 
 have takin this man, bot they could not, that they 
 might have fpeired farther tydingis at him, bot they 
 could not touch him. But all thir vncouth noveUis 
 and counfall could not ftay the king from his purpofe, 
 and vicked interpryfe, bot haifted him faft to Edin- 
 burgh to mak provifioun for himfelf and his armie 
 againe the faid day apoyntted. That is, he had fewin 
 great cannones out of the Caftle of Edinburgh, 
 
 ' This is hardly reconcileable with the faft that Lyon was then 
 engaged on his embafly to Henry. 
 
THE scorrrssHE ktnge. ss 
 
 quhilkis was called the Sewin Sifteris, caftin be Robert 
 Borthik ; and thrie mafter gunneris, furnifched with 
 pOuder and leid to thame at thair pleafure ; and in 
 the meane tyme they war taking out the artillarie, the 
 king himfelfF being in the Abbey, thair was ane cry 
 heard at the mercatt croce of Edinburgh, about mid- 
 night, proclameand, as it had beine ane fummondis, 
 quilkis was called be the proclamer thairof, the fum- 
 mondis of Platcok, defiring all earles, lordis, barrones, 
 gentlmen, and fundrie burgefs within the toun, to 
 compeir befoir his maifter within fourtie dayes, quhair 
 it fould happin him to be for the tyme, vnder the 
 paine of difobedience ; and fo many as war called war 
 defigned be thair awin names. But whidder this 
 fummondis was proclaimed be vaine perfones, night 
 walkeris for thair paftyme, or if it was ane fpirit 
 I cannot tell. But on indweller in the toun, called 
 Mr. Richard Lawfoun, being evill difpoffed, ganging 
 in his gallrie, ftart foment the croce, hearing this 
 voyce, thought marvell quhat it fhould be ; fo he 
 crye'' for his fervand to bring him his purs, and tuik 
 ane croun and keft it over the ftair, faying " I for my 
 part appealis from your fummondis and judgment, and 
 takis me to the mercie of God." Werrilie he quho 
 caufed me cronicle this was ane fufEcient landit gentl- 
 man, who was in the toun in the meane tyme, and was 
 then twentie yeires of aige ; and he fwore efter the 
 feild thair was not ane man that was called at that 
 
54 A BALLADE OF 
 
 tyme, that efcaped, except that on man, that appailled 
 from thair judgmentis." 
 
 James' wife is faid to have added her entreaties to 
 prevent the campaign, but, needlefs to fay, with no 
 efFed, and he crofled the Tweed on the 22nd Auguft, 
 with an army ' " whereof the brute was that they were 
 two hundred thoufand, but for a fuertye they were an 
 hundred thoufand good fightynge men at the left," and 
 encamped on the banks of the Fill, a little river which 
 flows into the Tweed. Here he feems to have 
 remained until the 24th, during which time he ifliied 
 a proclamation, dated " Twefil hauch," (Twizell 
 haugh), with a view to encourage his troops, ordaining 
 "gifany man beis flane or hurt to deid in the kings 
 army, and oift be Inglefman, or dies in the army, 
 enduring the tyme of his oift, his aires ftiall have his 
 ward, relief and marriage, of the king fre, dilpendand 
 with his age, quhat eild that ever he be of." 
 
 The King then moved on to Norham Caftle, where, 
 according to Holinftied, he " ouerthrew the Barnekine, 
 & flue diverfe within the caftle, fo that the Capteine 
 and fuch as had charge Avithin it, defired the King to 
 delaie the fiege, while they might fend to the earle of 
 Surreie alreadie come with an armie into the north 
 parts, covenanting if they were not refcued by the 
 nineteenth day of that moneth, they ftiould deliuer 
 
 ' Hall. 
 
THE SCOTTTSSHE KTNGE. 55 
 
 the caftle vnto the King. This was granted ; and 
 becaufe none came within the time to the refcue, the 
 caftell was deliuered at the appointed day ; a great 
 part of it was ouerthrowne and beaten downe." 
 Moving rapidly along the Tweed, the king took 
 Wark Caftle, and turned inland, taking Etal and Ford/ 
 Here he wafted precious time, if the old Chroniclers 
 can be trufted, in an extremely unprofitable manner. 
 James was always extremely fufceptible to female 
 beauty,and, forgetful of his Wife Margaret, fuccumbed 
 to the charms of Lady Heron of Ford,'' if the 
 Scotch verfion be true. Still adhering to my plan of 
 giving contemporary hiftory if poflible, I quote the 
 following extradt from Lindfay : — " Some fayes the 
 ladie Foord being ane bewtifull voman, the King 
 melled with hir, and the bifchope of St. Androis' 
 with hir dochter, quhilk was againes the ordour of 
 
 ' Remains of all thefe caftles ftill exift. 
 
 * " Sir William Heron fucceeded his brother John in the year 
 1498, being then 20 years old. He was high Sheriff of Northum- 
 berland in the year 1526, and died 8 July, 1535. He was twice 
 married. By Elizabeth his firft wife, he had a fon, William, 
 who died before him ; by the fecond, Agnes, he had no iffue." — 
 No mention is anywhere made of a daughter of Lady Elizabeth 
 Heron. 
 
 ' A natural fon of James, by Margaret, daughter of Archibald 
 Boyd of Bonfliaw, born 1495. By a difpenfation from the Pope, 
 the King created him Archbilhop of St. Andrews, in 1 509, and 
 made him his Chancellor 151 1. He was alfo the Pope's Legate 
 a latere. 
 
S6 A BALLADE OF 
 
 all guid captanes of warre to begin at whordome and 
 harlottrie, befoir ony guid fucces of battdl or viftorie. 
 But doubtles fick proceidingis is oftymes the occafioun 
 of ane evill fucces. Alwayes, the King remained 
 thair the fpace of twentie dayes, without battell, or no 
 appeirance of the fame, quhill the moft pairt of thair 
 vidluallis war Ipendit, and ipeciallie the farre north- 
 land menis, and the illes menis, that they war forced 
 to goe home to furnifch the fame ; and everie lord 
 and barrone fend home of his Ipeciall fervandis for 
 new provifioun ; fo that thair abod not above ten 
 thoufand men with the King, by bordereris and 
 countrie men. Yitt the King tuik no fear, for he 
 beleived that the Inglifchmen fhould not have given 
 him battell at that tyme. But this vicked ladye Fuird, 
 fieing the Kingis hoaft fo difperft, for laik of vidtuallis, 
 and knew all the fecreitis that war amongeft the 
 Kingis men, and the intentioun of the King himfelfF, 
 and fecreit counfall, quhilk knawledge fhoe had be 
 hir frequent whordome with the King, quhilk moved 
 hir to afk licence of the King to pas innerward in the 
 countrie, to fpeak with certane of hir friendis, faying 
 to the King that fhoe fhould bring him all newis out 
 of the fouth countrie, quhat they were doeing, or 
 quhat was thair purpofe to doe, and thairfoir fhoe 
 defired the King to remane thair till hir return. And 
 he againe, as an efFeminat prince, fubdewed and intyfed 
 be this vicked voman, gave hir haiftilie credence in 
 
THE SCOTTTSSHE KTNGE. 57 
 
 this matter, and believed all that flioe had faid to be 
 trew. So he caufed convoy her ane litle {pace from 
 the hoaft as Ihoe defired. But this ladie Fuird being 
 myndful to keip no credit with the King, for the 
 loue fhoe buire to hir native countrie, fhoe paft 
 haiftilie to the earle of Surrey, quhair he was lyand 
 at York at that tyme, and ftiew to him the haill 
 fecreittis of the King, and how many he was, and 
 quhair his armie lay, and quhat poyntt they war att, 
 and how his men war difperft, and paft from him for 
 laik of vidtuallis, and that thair was not abyding with 
 him but ten thoufand of all his great armie. Quhairfoir 
 fhoe counfalled the earle of Surrey to cum fordwadis 
 vpoun him, affuring him of vidtorie, by hir ingyne, 
 for fhoe fhould deceave the King, aifo farre as fhoe 
 might, and put him in the Inglifmenis handis. Thir 
 novellis being fhowin to the earle of Surrey, be this 
 vicked voman, he greatlie rejoyced thairat, and thanked 
 her greatumlie for hir laboures and paines, that fhoe 
 tuik for hir native countrie promifeaud to hir, that 
 within thrie dayes he fhould meitt the King of 
 Scotland." 
 
CHAPTER IX. 
 
 NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN THE ENGLISH AND SCOTCH. 
 
 HETHER there is any foundation for 
 this ftory or not, we have it on Hall's 
 authority that Lady Elizabeth Heron 
 was the fubjedl of diplomatic negotiation 
 between the Earl of Surrey and King 
 James on 4 September in that year, the Earl then being 
 at Alnwick. "And when all men were appoy'nted 
 and knewe what too do, The erle and hys counfayU 
 concluded and determined emonge other thynges to 
 fende Rouge crofle, purfiuaunt of armes with a 
 trompet to the kynge of Scottes with certayne in- 
 ftruccions, figned by the fayde erle conteynynge woorde 
 by woorde as foloweth. 
 
 Fyrft where there hathe bene fuyte made to the 
 Kyng of Scottes by Elizabeth Heron, wyfe to William 
 Heron of Forde, nowe pryflbner in Scotlande, for 
 caftynge doune of the houfe or Caftell of Forde, and 
 
A BALLADE OF THE SCOTTTSSHE KYNGE. S9 
 
 as the fayde Elizabeth reporteth vppon communicacion 
 had, the fayde kynge liath promyfed and condifcended 
 to the fayde Elizabeth, that if fhe any tyme before 
 none, the fift daye of September, woulde brynge and 
 deliuer vnto hym the lorde Johnftowne, and Alexander 
 Hume, then pryfoners that tyme in Englande, he then 
 is contented and agreed that the fayde houfe or Caftell 
 ihall ftande without caftynge doune, brennynge or 
 fpoylynge the fame : Whereunto the fayde erle is 
 content with that, vppon thys condicion, that if the 
 fayde kynge wyll promytte the afTuraunce of the fayde 
 Caftell, in maner and forme aforefayde vnder hys feale, 
 to deliuer the fayde lorde of Johnftowne and Alexander 
 Hume, immediately vppon the fame afluraunce. And 
 in cafe the fayde kynge can and will be content to 
 delyuer the fayde Heron oute of Scotlande, then the 
 fayde erle fball caufe to be deliuered to the fayde kynge 
 the two gentelmen, and two other, fyr George Hume 
 and William Carre." 
 
 James detained Rouge Croix Purfuivant and fent 
 his Herald Hay on the 6th September to the Earl of 
 Surrey, with the meflage "as touchynge the fauynge 
 from brennynge or deftroiynge, and caftynge doune of 
 the Caftell of Forde, for the deliueraunce of the fayde 
 prifoners. The kyng hys mafter woulde thereto make 
 no aunfwer." 
 
 Whilft James, however, wafted time at Ford, and his 
 army dwindled away, Surrey was far from idle. News 
 
6o A BALLADE OF 
 
 of James's entry into England firft reached the Earl on 
 the 25th Auguft. He immediately fummonedageneral 
 mufter at Newcaftle on the firft of September ; and he 
 himfelf ftarted for York with five hundred men, leaving 
 the next day for Newcaftle. At Durham he heard of 
 the fall of Norham, and Hall goes on thus with his 
 narrative: — "thys chaunce was more forowfull to 
 the erle then to the Bifhoppe owner of the fame. 
 All that nyghte the wynde blewe corragioufly, where- 
 fore the erle doubted leaft the lorde Hawarde hys fonne 
 greate Admyrall of Englande ftioulde perifti that 
 nyght on the fea, who promifed to land at Newcaftell 
 with a thoufand men,toaccompaynie hys father, why che 
 promyfe he accomplifhed. 
 
 The erle harde Mafle, and appoynted with the Prior 
 for Saindie Cutberdes banner,' and fo that daye beynge 
 the thyrty daye of Auguft he came to Newcaftell : 
 thither came the lorde Dacres, fyr William Bulmer, 
 
 ' Prefumably to inflame the courage of his border troops. 
 Lambe, without mentioning his authority, gives the following de- 
 fcription of the banner : — " Soon after the battle of Nevil's Crofs, A. 
 1 346, John Tofler, prior of Durham, made a new banner, and con- 
 fecrated it to St. Cuthbert. The ftaff of it was five yards long, 
 covered with pipes, furmounted with a crofs, under which was a 
 rod, as thick as a man's finger, fattened by the middle to the ftafF. 
 At each end of which was a wrought knob and a little bell. All 
 thefe except the llaff were of filver. The banner cloth of red 
 velvet, fattened to the rod, was a yard broad, and one yard and a 
 quarter deep : The bottom of it was indented in five parts ; on 
 both fides it was embroidered, and wrought with flowers of green 
 
THE SCOTTrSSHE KTNGE. 6i 
 
 fyr MarmaduckeConftable,and many other fubftanciall 
 gendemen, whome he reteyned wyth him as coim- 
 fayllers, and there determined that on Simdaye next en- 
 fuynge, he fhoulde take the felde at Bolton in Glendale, 
 and becaufe many fouldioures were repayrynge to hym 
 he lefte Newcaftell to the entent that they that folowed, 
 fliovdde haue there more rome, and came to Alne- 
 wyke the thyrde day of September, and becaufe hys 
 fouldiars were not come, by reafbn of the foule waye, 
 he was fayne to tarye there all the fourthe daye beynge 
 Sundaye, whyche daye came to hym the lord Admyrall 
 hys ibnne with a compaignye of valyaunt Capitaynes 
 and able fouldiars and maryners, whiche all came from 
 the fea, the commynge of hym muche reioyced hys 
 father, for he was very wyfe, hardy, and of greate 
 credence and experience." 
 
 (ilk and gol<L In the midft of it was a fquare half yard of white 
 velvet, whereon was a crofs of red velvet, on both fides of the 
 cloth. In it was enclofed that holy relique, the corporax cloth, 
 wherewith St. Cuthbert covered the Chalice, v^hen he faid mafs. 
 The banner cloth was Mrted with a fringe of red filk and gold ; 
 and at the bottom of it hnng three filver bells." 
 
CHAPTER X. 
 
 BATTLE OF FLODDON FIELD. 
 
 Having traced the courfe of Scottifh 
 hiftory to this point, we may continue 
 it by means of the account of the battle 
 of Floddon Field, two leaves of which 
 were bound up, as already related, in the 
 cover of the fame book as the "Ballade of the Scottyfshe 
 Kynge ;" and this is all the more appropriate, not only 
 on account of the aflbciation of the piece in queftion, 
 but becaufe it is fcarce, was contemporary, and was 
 printed by the fame printer. The tradt in Mr. Chriftie 
 Miller's pofTeffion is unique. It was purchafed by the 
 Marquefs of Blandford, and at the fale known as White 
 Knights' Library in 1819, was fold for ^^ 13 ijj. 
 It has, however, been reprinted in its mutilated con- 
 dition, firft in 1 809, " under revife of Mr. Hafle- 
 wood;" and fecondly in 1822, at Newcaftle, by 
 Wm. Garrett. 
 
A BALLADE OF THE SCOTTTSSHE KYNGE. 63 
 
 C Hereafter enfue the trewe encountre or . . 
 Batayle lately don betwene . Englade and : Scotlande. 
 In whiche batayle the Scottfshe Kynge was flayne. 
 
 C The maner of thaduaucefynge of my lord of 
 Surrey trefourier and . Marfhall of . Englande and 
 leuetenute generall of the north pties of the fame 
 with . xxvi . M. men to wardes the kynge of . Scott/ 
 and his . Armye vewed and nombred to an/ hundred 
 thoufande men at/ the leeft. 
 
64 A BALLADE OF 
 
 Firfte my fayd Lorde at his beynge at Awnewik in 
 Northumbrelande the . iiij , daye of , Septembre the 
 .V. yere of y° Reygne of kynge Henry the .viii. 
 herynge that y" kynge of Scottes thenne was re- 
 moued from Norhme. And dyd lye at forde . 
 Gaftel/ & in thofe ptyes dyd moche hurte in ipoylyng 
 robynge/ and brennynge/ fent to the fayde kynge of 
 Scottes Ruge Cros purfeuaunte at . Armes, to fhewe 
 vnto hym that for fb moche as he the faid Kynge con- 
 trary to his honour all good reafon & confcyence 
 And his oothe of Fidelite for y' ferme entartnynge of 
 perpetuall peas betwene the kyng/ hygnes our . 
 Souerayne lorde and hym had inuaded this Raalme/ 
 fpoylad brente and robbyd dyuers and fondery 
 townes and places in the fame. Alfo had cafte and 
 betten downe the Caftel of Norhme And crewella 
 had murdered & flayne many of the kynnes liege 
 people he was comen to gyue hym bayta. And de- 
 fyred hym y' for/ fb moche/ as he was a kynge and 
 a great Prynce he wolde of his lusty & noble 
 courage cofent therunto and tarye y° fame. And 
 for my fayde Lordes partie his lordefhyp promyfed 
 ye affured Accomplyfshement and perfourmauce 
 therof as he was true knyght to god and the kynge 
 his mayfter The kynge of fcottes herynge this/ 
 meffage reynued & kept w' hym y° fayd Ruge Cros 
 purfenanta & wolde nat fuffre hym at y" tyme to 
 retourne agayne to my fayde lorde. 
 
THE SCOTTTSSHE KYNGE. 65 
 
 The .V. daye of Septembre his lordihyp in his ap- 
 prochynge nyghe to the borders of . Scotlande/ muf- 
 tred at Bolton in glendayll & lodged that nyght 
 therein y' felde with all his Armye. 
 
 C The nexte daye beynge the .vi daye of Sep- 
 tembre the kynge of fcottes fent to my fayd lor of 
 Surrey a harolde of his called Ilaye and demaunded 
 if that my fayde Lorde wolde iuftefye the meflage 
 fent by the fayd purfeuaunte ruge cros as is aforefayd 
 fygnefyinge that if my lorde wolde fo doo/ it was the 
 thynge/ that mooft was to his . loye end comforte. 
 To this/ demaunde/ my lord made anfwere afore 
 dyuers lordes/ knyghtes and gentylme nyghe . iij myles 
 from the felde where ys tKe fayde harolde was 
 apftoynted to tarye bycaufe he Ihulde nat vewe the 
 Armye that he coumaunded nat oonly the/ fayde , 
 Ruge cros to fpeke and fhewe the feyde werdes of 
 his meflages But alfo gaue and comytted vnto hym 
 the fame by , Inftruccion fygned/ and fubfcrybed/ 
 with his owne hande/ whiche my fayde lorde fayd/ he 
 wolde . Iuftefye/ and for fo moche as his lordfhyp 
 conceyued by the/ fayde . Harolde/ how . Joyous and 
 comfortabe his meffage/ was to y° fayde Kynge of 
 fcottes he therfore for the more affuraunce of his 
 weffage fhewed that he wolde be bouden in . x.MIi. & 
 good fuertes with his . Lordfhyp to gyue the fayde 
 kynge batayle by Fridaye/ next after at the/ furtheft/ 
 If that the fayde kynge of/ fcottes wolde/ aflyne and 
 
66 J BALLADE OF 
 
 appoynte any/ other Erie or Erles of his/ Reahne to 
 be bounden in lyke maner that he wolde abyde my 
 fayde/ lordes commynge And for fbmoche as the 
 fayd kynge of . Scottes reeyuued ftyll with hym Ruge 
 Cros purfeuaute and wolde nat fuiFre hym to re- 
 tourne to my lorde my/ fayde lorde in lyke and 
 femblable maner dyd kepe/ with/ hym the fcottefshe 
 Harolde . Hay and fant to the fayd kynge of 
 fcottes with his anfwere and further offer/ as is/ 
 afdre reherfed/ A gentylman of fcotlande that ac- 
 companyed and came to my fayde lorde wich the 
 fayd Harolde . Hay/ And thus . Hay contynued 
 and was kepte clofe tyll the commynge home of 
 Ruge cros whiche was the next daye after/ ' And 
 thenne/ Hay was put at large and lyberte to retourne 
 
 ' According to Hall, Rouge Croix had a narrow efcape : — 
 " You haue harde before, howe Hay the Scottifshe Heraulde 
 was returned for Rouge Crofle, and as fone as Rouge Crofle was 
 returned he was difcharged, but he taryed with Yorke an Englilhe 
 Heraulde makynge good chere, and was not returned that mornynge 
 that Rouge Crofle came on hys meflage, wherefore Rouge Croflie 
 and hys trompet were detayned by the feruaunte of Hay, whiche 
 the daye before went for Rouge Crofle, aflurynge them that if 
 Hay came not home before none, that he was not liuinge, and 
 then they (houlde haue their heddes ftryken of, then Rouge Crofle 
 offered that hys fervaunt fliould go for Hay, but it would not be 
 excepted, but as hap was Hay came home before none, and 
 ftiewed of his gentell enterteynynge, and then Rouge Croffe was 
 deliuered, and came to the Engliftie armye, and made reporte as 
 you haue hearde." 
 
THE SCOTTrSSHE KTNGE. 67 
 
 to the kynge of fcottes his mayftere to fhewe my 
 lordes anfweres declaracyons and goodly/ offers as he 
 had hade in euery behalue of my fayde lorde. 
 
 C The fame daye my Lorde deuyded his Arme 
 in two betaylles that is to wytte in a vauwarde and a 
 rerewarde and ordeyned my lorde Hawarde Admorall 
 his fone to be . Capitayne of the fayde vaunwarde/ 
 and hymfelfe to by chefe Capitayne of the rerewarde. 
 
 C In the brefte of y° fayde vauuwarde was wt 
 the fayde Lord Admorall ix . thoufande men and 
 vnder Capitaynes of the fanis brefte of the batayle 
 was the lord . Lumley* fyr Wyllm Bulmers the baron 
 of Hylton and dyuerfe other of the Byfshopryche of 
 Durefines under . Seynts Cuthbert/ banner the lorde . 
 Scrope of vpfall/ the lorde Ogle/ fyr wyllyam Gaf- 
 coygne/ fer Criftofer warde/ fyr John Gueringhm 
 fir waiter Griffith/ fyr John Gowers and dyuers othes 
 Efquyres and gentylmen of yorkeftiyre and North- 
 umberlaed/ And in ayther wynge of the fame 
 batayle was iii M . men. 
 
 C The Capitayne of the right wynge was mayfter 
 Edmonde hawarde fbne to my feyde lorde of Surrey/ 
 And with hym was fyr Thomas Butler/ fyr . John 
 Boothe fyr Richarde Boolde/ and dyuerfe other 
 Efquyers/ & gentylmen of Lancafshyre end Chaf- 
 fhyre. 
 
 C The Capitayne of the lafte wynge was olda fyr 
 Marmaduke, Cofteble & with hym was mayfter 
 
68 A BALLADE OF 
 
 wyllm Percy his fona . Elawe willm Conftable his 
 broder/ fyr. Robert Conftabla mamaduke Conftable 
 willm Conftable his fones/ And fyr John Coftable of 
 holdernes with dyuerfe his kynnefmen AUies and 
 othea Gentylmen of yorkefhyre and Northumberlande. 
 
 C In the brefte of batayle of the fayde rerewarde 
 was , vM. mon with my falde lorde of . Surrey/ and 
 vnder. Capitaydes of the fame was the lord Scrope of 
 Bolton fyr Philype Tyney broder Elawe to my fayd 
 lord of. Sur.rey George darcy fone and heyre to the 
 lorde Darcy/ Sir Philipe Tylney broder in law to my 
 faid Lorde of Surrey, Sir John Roclifi\, Sir Thomas 
 Methine, Sir William Scargill, Sir John Normavell, 
 Sir RaufF Ellircar, Sir Ric. Abdeburghe, and dyuers 
 oder Efquyers gentiUmen and comyns of Yorkfhir. 
 And in ather wynge of the faid rerewarde was. iij. 
 thoufande men. 
 
 C The Capitaine of the right wynge, was the lord 
 Dacre of the Northe and with hym. xv. C. of the 
 Busftiop of Eleis men, fent frome out of Lankaftvir, 
 
 " Here begins the miffing portion found in the book-cover, which 
 is taken from a MS, in the poflelfion of the late David Laing, 
 Efq., LL.D. V.P.S.A. Scot., read by him before the Society, 
 March, 1 867, the accuracy of which, compared with the printed 
 text he guarantees. Dr. Laing, with refpedl to the reproduftion 
 of the text, gives the following explanatory notice : " It is now 
 printed with no other alterations, than corredling the punfluation, 
 rejedling ordinary contraftions in MSS. or printed books of that 
 age, and ufing capital letters for proper names." 
 
THE SCOTTTSSHE KrNGE. 69 
 
 And the capitaine of the left wyng of the faid rere- 
 warde, was Sir Edwarde Stanley accompanyed hooly 
 with dyuers knyghtts and gentilmen of Lancafliire. 
 
 C My lorde of Surrey beyng thus ordered and 
 accompenyed as is aforefaid removed upon. vi. myles 
 to a fFelde callid Woller Haghe withynne. iij. myles 
 of the king of Scottes, wher as euery man myght fe, 
 how the faid King of Scottes did lye with his Army 
 vpon an high hill in the egge of Cheviotte, withynne 
 .ij. myles of Scotlande, wherunto he had remoued from 
 Forde Caftell, ovir the watir of Till, and was encloofed 
 in thre parties, with three great mountaynes, foe that 
 ther was noe paffage nor entre vnto hym but oon 
 waye, wher was laied marvelous and great ordenance 
 of gonnes, that is to wit. v. great curtalles. ij. great 
 colveryns. iiij. Sacres and. vi. great Serpentynes as 
 goodly gounes as haue bene fene in any realme. And 
 befide theme, wher othir dyuers fmall ordenances. 
 and the fame day at night my Lorde and all the 
 army did lye upon the faid grounde callid Woller 
 Haghe. 
 
 C And conceiving the faid King of Scottes to lye 
 foe ftronglye as is aforefaid, and that ther was a fair 
 plaine at the nethir parte of the faid mountaines callid 
 Mylnfelde, my faid Lorde of Surrey tarryed vpon the 
 fame grounde. all the next daye. the. vij. day of Sep- 
 tembr and the nyght after truftyng that the King 
 wolde haue remoued dounwade to the faid grounde to 
 
70 A BALLADE OF 
 
 have gyveti hym battell. And feyng that the faid 
 King of Scottes contynued ftill in the fame mountaine 
 without remouyng in any wife and all his oofte with 
 hym, my faid Lorde doutyng of the faid Kings aboid 
 and tarrying, becaufe it was fufpe6t he wolde haue 
 fled away in the night, infomyche that he was with- 
 ynne. ij. myles of his oune realme fent unto hym 
 Ruge Cros purfivannte at harmes. And eftfoones 
 requyred hym to come doune to the faid plaine of 
 Mylfeilde. wher was convenyent grounde for the 
 metynge of twoe Armyes, or to a grounde bye callid 
 Floddon or to any othir indifferent grounde for twoe 
 batells to feght vpon. 
 
 C At this tyme the King waxed angry and dif- 
 pleafed towarde my faid Lorde, and wold not fpek 
 with Ruge Cros purfivaunte but had reporte of his 
 meflage, by a gentillman which made relacion ayeine 
 of the fame to Ruge Cros on this maner with like 
 termes. The King my maifter wills that ye fhall 
 fhewe to Therle of Surrey, that it befemeth hym not 
 being an Erie, fo largely to attempte a great prince, his 
 grace woU take & kepe his grounde and felde at his 
 oune pleafour, and not at the affignyng of Therle of 
 Surrey, whoom the King my maifter fuppofeth to 
 deall with fome wichecrafte or fawcery becaufe he pro- 
 cureth to feight vpon oon the faid grounde. The 
 faid Ruge Cros having this anfwer, retorned ayeine 
 to my Lorde and fliewed his lordfhip the fame. 
 
THE SCOTirSSHE KTNGE. 71 
 
 C My faid Lorde of Surrey conceivyng that the 
 King of Scottes did contynually reft and remaine in 
 the faid foretres invironde with the faid mountain and 
 that he wolde not in any wife remove frome the fame 
 to any othir indifferent grounde to abide or gyve 
 batell, removed his ifelde the. viij. day of Septembre 
 being our Ladies day the Natiuitie, and pafTed ovir 
 the water of Till, and contynually all that day went 
 with the faid hoole Army in aray, in the fight of the 
 faid King of Scottes, at the furtheft frome hym with- 
 ynne two myles, and that night loged vnder a wod 
 fide callid Barmor Wode diredly ayeinfte the King 
 aforefaid, and his army Albeit there was an hill 
 betwene the hooftes for avoiding the daunger of goune 
 fhoote, and not withftanding. iiij. or. v. dales pafl'ed 
 ther was litle or noe wyne, ale, nor here, for the 
 people to be refrefshed with but that all the hool army 
 for the moofte parte wer enforced and conftreyned of 
 neceffite to drynke water duryng the fame tyme and 
 feafon without comforte or trufte of any relieff in that 
 behalue. My faid Lorde of Surrey, and the faid 
 army, the faid daunger and wantyng of drynke not 
 withftanding, coragiouflye avaunced forewarde to get 
 betwene the faid King of Scotts and his realme of 
 Scotlande countenanfyng to goo towarde Scotlande or 
 Barwike. The faid King conceiving this and as it is 
 confefTed fered that my faid Lorde and the Army of 
 Englande wolde haue gon in to Scotlande, did caufe 
 
72 A BALLADE OF 
 
 his tents to be taken vp and kepyng the height of the 
 mountaine, removed with his great power and puf- 
 aunce of people out of the faid great forterefs towarde 
 Scotlande. And furthwith the Scottes by thair crafty 
 and fubtill emaginacion did (ett on fire all fuch thair 
 fylthy ftrawe and litter wher as they did ly and with 
 the fame made fuch a great and a mervelous fmoke 
 that the maner of thair araye therby couth not be 
 elpyed. Immediatly, my Lorde Hawarde with the 
 vawarde, and my Lord of Surrey with the rerewarde 
 in thair moofte qwyke and fpedy maner avaunced 
 and made towarde the faid King of Scotts as fafte as 
 to thaim was poflible in aray, and what for the hilles 
 and fmoke long as it was or the aray of the Scotts 
 couth be conceived, and at the lafte, they appeired in 
 •iiij. great batells. 
 
 C And as foone as the Scottes perceived my faid 
 Lordes to be withyn the daunger of thair ordenance 
 they fhote fliarpely thair gounes which wer verray 
 great, and in like maner our partye recounterde them, 
 with thair ordenance, and notwithftanding that othir 
 our artillary for warre couth doe no good nor advantage 
 to our army becaufe they wer contynually goyng and 
 advanfyng vp towarde the faid hilles and mountaines, 
 yit by the help of God our gounes did foe breke and 
 conftreyn the Scottifhe great army that fome parte of 
 thaim wer»enforied to come doune the faid hilles to- 
 warde our army. And my Lorde Hawarde conceiving 
 
THE SGOTTrSSHE RTNGE. 73 
 
 the great power of the Scottes fent to my faid (Lorde) 
 of Surrey his fader and required hym to advaunce his 
 rerewarde and to joine his right wyng with his left 
 wyng for the Scottes wer of that might that the 
 vawarde was not of power nor abuU to encounter 
 thaim. My faid lorde of Surrey perfitely vnderftand- 
 ing this with all fpede and diligence, luftely, came 
 forwarde and joyned hym to the vawarde as afor was 
 required by my faid Lord Hawarde, and was glad for 
 neceffite to make of two battaUes oon good battell to 
 aventure of the faid . iiij . batelles. 
 
 C And for fo myche as the Scottes did kepe thaim 
 feuerall in . iiij . batelles therfor my Lorde of Surry and 
 my Lorde Hawarde fbdenly wer conftreyned and en- 
 forced to devide thair army in oder . iiij . batelles and 
 els it was thought it ftiulde haue bene to thair great 
 daunger and jeoperdy. 
 
 C Soe it was that the Lorde Chamberlaine of Scot- 
 lande * fayde beynge Capitayne of the firfte batayle of 
 the Scotths fyei-fly dyd fette vpon maifter Edmonde 
 Hawarde . Capitayne of the vttermofte parte of 
 the felde at the weft fyde. And betwene them was fo 
 cruell batayle that many of our partie . ChesQiyre men 
 and other dyd flee/ And the fayd mayfter Edmonde in 
 maner lefte alone without focoure and his ftanderde 
 and berer of the fame beten and hewed in peces and 
 hymfel . thryfe ftryken downe to the groud. Howbeit 
 1 Here the miffing part ends. 
 
74 ^ BALLADE OF 
 
 lyke a couragyous & an hardy yonge lufty gentylman 
 he recouered agayne and faught hande to hade with 
 one fir Dauy home & flewe hym with his owne 
 handes. And thus the fayde mayfter Edmonde . was 
 in . great perell and daunger tyll that the lorde Dacre 
 lyke a good and an hardy knyght releued and came 
 vnto hym for his focoure. 
 
 C The feconde Batayle came vpon my lorde . 
 Hawarde. The thirde batayle wherin was the kynge 
 of . Scottes & mofte parte of the noble men of his . 
 Reame came fyerfly vpon my fayd lord of . Surrey/ 
 whiche two batayUes by the help of elmyghty god 
 were after a greht confydelyete venquyflhed ouer 
 comen betten downe & pvt to flyght and fewe of them 
 efcaped. with their lyues fyr. Edwarde Stanley beynge 
 at the vttermofte parte of the fayd rerewarde one hefte^ 
 partie feynge the fourth batayle redy to releue the fayde 
 kynge of fcottes batayle/ couragyouflys and lyke a 
 lufty and an hardy knyght dyd fette vpon the fame 
 and ouercame & put to flyght all the fcottes in the 
 fayd batayle. And thus by the grace focour and helpe 
 of almyghty god vidlory was gyven to the Reame of . 
 England. And all the fcottyflhe ordendnce wonne & 
 brought to Ettell and Barwyke in . Suretie. 
 
 C Hereafter enfueth the names of fondry nobles 
 men of the fcottes flayne at the fayde batayle & felde 
 called Brainfton moore./ 
 
 * The eaft. 
 
THE SCOTTTSSHE KTNGE. 
 
 75 
 
 Firfte y' kyng of fcotoes 
 The Archelyfshop of 
 feynt . Androwes. 
 The byfshop of . Thyles. 
 The byfshop of Ketnes. 
 The Abbot ynchafFrey. 
 The Abbot of Rylwenny. 
 Therle of , Mountroos. 
 Therle of . Craforde. 
 Therle of . Argyle. 
 Therle of lennox. 
 Therle of . Lcncar. 
 Therle of . Caftelles. 
 Therle of Boothwell 
 Lorde , Elwefton. 
 Lorde . Inderby 
 Lorde . Maxwell. 
 
 Mac . Cleen. 
 lohn of Graunte 
 The Maift of w Agwis 
 Lorde . Roos. 
 Lord tempyll. 
 Lorde . Borthyke. 
 Lorde . Afkyll. 
 Lorde . Dawiffie. 
 Sir Alexander Scotlon 
 Sire lohn home. 
 Therlo . Arell . Conftable. 
 Lorde . Lowett, 
 Lorde . Forboos. 
 Lorde . Coluin. 
 Sir . Dauy home. 
 Cuthbert home of Faf- 
 caftell. 
 
 Mac Keyn. 
 
 Over & aboue the feyd pfbnes there at flayne of 
 the Scottes vewd by my lorde . Dacre the/ noumbre 
 of . xi . or . xii . thoufande mend And of Englyfshme 
 flayne and taken pryfoners vpons xii.C. dyuers pry- 
 foners are taken of y° fcottes But noo Notable perfon 
 faue oonly fyr/ -wyllm Scotte knyght Councellour of 
 the fayde kynge of fcottes and as is fayd a gentylma 
 well lerned Alfo Sr John Forma knyght broder to 
 the Byfshop of Murrey which byfshop as is reported 
 was &/ is mooft pryncyall procurour of this warre/ 
 
76 A BALLADE OF 
 
 And one other called fr John Colehome many other 
 fcottyfshe pryfoner . coude & myght haue been taken/ 
 but they were foo vengeable & cruell in theyr fygh- 
 tngy that/ whenne Englyfshmen had the better of 
 them they wolde nat faue them/ though it fo were 
 that dyuerfe fcottes offered great fumes of money for 
 theyr lyues. 
 
 C It is to be noted that the felde beganne be- 
 twene . iiij and . v. at after Noone and contynued 
 within nyght if it had fortuned to haue ben further 
 afore nyght many mo fcottes had ben flayne and taken 
 pryfoners louynge beto almyghty god all the noble 
 men of Englande tha were vpon the fame felde bothe 
 lordes and Knyghtes are fafe from any hurte/ And 
 none of theym awantynge faue oonly maifter Harrgy 
 Gray fyr Huinfeide lyle bothe pryfoners in Scotlade 
 fyr John . Gower of yorkefhyre and fyr John Boothe 
 of Lancafshyre both wantynge and as yet nat founden. 
 
 C In this batayle the fcottes hadde many great 
 Auauntagies/ that is to wytte the hyghe . Hylles and 
 mountaynes a great wynde with them and fodayne 
 rayne all contrary to oug bowes and Archers. 
 
 C It is nat to be doutbted but the fcottes fought 
 manly and were determyned outher to wynne y° 
 Feld or to dye They were alfo as well apoynted 
 as was poffyble at all poyntes with Armoure & bar- 
 neys fo that fewe of them were flayne with arrowes 
 Howbeit the bylles did bete and hewe them downe 
 woth fbme payne and daunger to Englyfshemen. 
 
THE SCOTTTSSME KTNGE. 77 
 
 The fayd fcottes were (6 playnely determyned to 
 abyde batayle and nat to flee that they put from them 
 theyr horfes and alfo put of theyr botes and flioes 
 and faught in the vampis/ ^ of theyr hoofes every man 
 for the moofl ptie/ with a kene and a fhape ipere of . 
 V. yerdes longe and a target aforh hym And when 
 theyr Iperes fayled and wera Ipent/ then they faught 
 with great end fliarpe Iwerdes makyng/ lytell or no 
 noys/ vithoue that ; that for the ptie many of them 
 wolde defyre to be faued. 
 
 C The felde where y° fcottes dyd/ lodge was nat 
 to be reprouyd but rather to be romended greatly for 
 there many and great nombre of goodiyl tenttes and 
 moche good fluffe in the fame & in the fayd felde 
 was plentie of wyne here ale beif multon falfyfshe 
 chefe and other vytalles neceflary and conuenyent for 
 fuche a great Army Albeit our Army doutynge that 
 the fayd vytalles hadde ben poyfoned for theyr dif- 
 truccion wolde not faue but vtterly difl;royed theym. 
 
 C Hereafter enfueth the names of fuch noble men 
 as after the Felde were made knyght/ for theyr 
 valyance Aft/ in the fame by my fayd lorde therle of 
 Surrey. 
 C Firfte my lorde Scrope Sir Edmonde Hawarde 
 
 of wpfall Sir . Guy . Oawney 
 
 Sir willm^Percy Sir . RafFe falwayne 
 
 ' See ballad " Of the out yles ye rough foted fcottes." 
 
78 
 
 j1 ballade of 
 
 Sir . Richarde. Malleuerey 
 Sir george Darcy 
 Sir , w. gaicoygne y" yoger 
 Sir . willm. Medlton 
 Sir willm . Maleuerdy 
 Sir Thomas . Bartley 
 Sir marmaduke . Coftable 
 Sir xpofer . Dacre (y" yoger 
 Sir . Hohn . Hoothome. 
 Sir. Nicholas . Appleyarde. 
 Sire Edwarde . Goorge 
 Sir . Rauf . Ellercar y' 
 
 yoges 
 Sir . John wyliyby 
 Sir. Edwarde . Echinghme 
 Sir . Edwarde . Mufgraue 
 Sir . John ftanley 
 Sir . waiter ftonner 
 Sir . Nyniane martynfelde. 
 Sir RafFe . Bowes 
 
 C Emprynted by me. Richarde . Faques dwllyng In 
 poulys churche yerde." 
 
 In this interefting and graphic defcription of the 
 battle of Branxton Moor, or Floddon Field, it is 
 worthy of notice that there is no account of the death 
 of King James. It limply records the fadt that the 
 King and his fon were flain ; and, as no mention is 
 
 Sir/ Briane ftapleton of 
 
 wyghall. 
 Sir . willm . Conftable of 
 
 Hatefelde 
 Sir . willm . Conftable of 
 
 Larethorpe - 
 Sir Xpofer . Oanby 
 Sir . Thomas Burght 
 Sir . willm . Rous 
 Sir . Thomas . Newton 
 Sir . Roger of Fenwyke 
 Sir . Roger Gray 
 Sir . Thomas Connyers 
 My lorde Ogle 
 Sir . Thomas ftrngewafe 
 Sir . Henri . Thwaittes 
 My lorde lumley 
 Sir . Xpofe . Pekerynge. 
 Sir , John Bulmer 
 
THE SCOTTTSSHE KTNGE. 79 
 
 made of his body being found, it is probable the 
 poem was written on the {pot before the dif- 
 covery. 
 
 All accounts agree as to the perfonal bravery of 
 the King ; although the fuperftition of the times, as 
 noted by Holinfhed, told upon him. " There 
 chanced alfo manie things taken (as yee would fay) 
 for warnings of fome great mifchance to follow, 
 which though fome reputed but as vaine and cafuall 
 haps ; yet the imprefllon of them bred a certeine 
 religious feare and new terror in his heart. For as 
 he was in councell with his lords, to vnderftand their 
 opinions touching the order of his battels, there was 
 an hare ftart amongft them, which haueing a thoufand 
 arrowes, daggers, and other kind of things beftowed 
 at hir, with great noife and fhowting, yet fhe efcaped 
 from them all fafe and without hurt. The fame 
 night alfo, mife had gnawne in funder the buckle and 
 leather of his helmet wherewith he fliould fallen the 
 fame to his hed. And moreouer, the cloth or veile 
 of his inner tent (as is faid) about the breake of the 
 day, appeared as though the deawie moifture thereof 
 hed beene of a bloudie colour." 
 
 King James, fancying that the Englifh were giving 
 way, difinounted from his horfe, and, in Ipite of re- 
 monftrances from his friends, charged the enemy, 
 who were, however, reinforced by Edward Stanley 
 and his divifion, and the Scots were thoroughly 
 
8o A BALLADE OF 
 
 routed ; the King, and all with him, being flain. Hall 
 fpeaks moft highly of the King's prowefs in the fol- 
 lowing panegyric : " O what a noble and triumphant 
 courage was thys for a kyng to fyghte in a battayll 
 as a meane fouldier : But what auayled hys ftronge 
 harnes, the puyflaunce of hys myghtye champions 
 wyth whome he defcended the hyll, in whome he foo 
 much trufted that with hys ftronge people and great 
 number of men, he was able as he thought to haue 
 vanquifhed that day the greateft prynce of the world, 
 if he had ben there as the erle of Surrey was, or elfe 
 he thought to do fuch an hygh enterprice hym felfe 
 in hys perlbn, that fhould furmount the enterprifes of 
 all other princes : but how foeuer it happened God 
 gaue the ftroke and he was no more regarded then a 
 poore fouldier, for all went one way. So that of his 
 awne bataill none efcaped but fyr William Scot 
 knight his chauncelour, and fyr Jhon forman knight, 
 his feriaunt Porter, whiche were taken prifoners, and 
 w' great difficultie faued." 
 
 The body of the King having been ftripped by 
 marauders, was not found until the following 
 day : — 
 
 " Well knowen it was by them that fought, and alfo 
 reported by the pryfoners of Scotlande, that theyr 
 kynge was taken or flayne, but hys body was not 
 founde tyll the next daye, becaufe all the meane 
 people as well Scottes as Englyfhe were ftrypped oute 
 
THE scorrrssHE KTNGE. Si 
 
 of theyr apparell as they laye on the felde, yet at the 
 lafte he was founde by the Lord Dacres, who knew 
 hym well by hys pryuye tookens in that fame place 
 where the battayle of the Earle of Surrey and hys, 
 firfte ioyned together. 
 
 Thys kynge had dyuerfe deadely woundes and 
 in efpeciall one with an Arowe, and an another wyth 
 a byll as apered when he was naked. After that the 
 bodye of the kynge of Scottes was found and 
 brought to Barwycke, the Earle fhowed yt too Syr 
 Wyllyam \ Scott hys Chaunceller and Syr Jhon 
 Forman hys feriante porter, whiche knewe hym at 
 the fyrfte fighte and made greate lamentacybn. Then 
 was the bodye bowelled, embawmed, and cered, and 
 fecretly amongeft other ftuffe conueyed to Newcaftell. 
 ***** After thys noble vycftorye therle wrote 
 fyrfte to the Quene whiche had rayfed a greate power 
 to refifte the fayde Kynge of Scottes, of the wynnynge 
 of the battayle, for then the bodye of the kynge of 
 Scottes was not fownde, and fhe yet beynge at the 
 towne of Buckyngham had woorde the next daye 
 after that the kynge of Scottes was flaine, and a parte 
 of hys coate armure to her fente,* for whiche vidborye 
 fhe thanked GOD, and fo the Earle after that the 
 Northe parte was fett in a quietnes, returned to the 
 
 ' His gauntlet. His fword and dagger are among the moft 
 precious relics preferved in the Heralds' College. 
 
 G 
 
82 A BALLADE OF 
 
 Queene with the deade body of the Scottyfshe Kyng 
 and broughte it to Richemond." 
 
 From Richmond the royal remains were taken to 
 the adjoining monaftery of Sheen, in accordance with 
 the teftimony of Stowe, who fays : — " After the 
 battle, the bodie of the fame King being found, was 
 clofed in lead, and conveyed from thence to London, 
 and to the monafterie of Sheyne in Surry, where it 
 remained for a time, in what order I am not certaine ; 
 but fince the diflblution of that houfe, in the reygne 
 of Edward the Sixt, Henry Gray, Duke of SufFolke, 
 being lodged, and keeping houfe there, I have been 
 fhewed the fame bodie fo lapped in lead, clofe to the 
 head and bodie, throwne into a wafte room amongft 
 the old timber, lead, and other rubble. Since the 
 which time, workmen there, for their foolifh pleafure, 
 hewed off his head ; and Lancelot Young, matter 
 glazier to Queen Elizabeth, feelinge a iweet favour 
 to come from thence, and feeing this fame dried from 
 all moifture, and yet the form remaining, with the 
 haire of the head and beard red, brought it to 
 London, to his houfe in Wood Street, where, for a 
 time, he kept it for its fweetnefs, but in the end 
 caufed the fexton of that church (St. Michael's, 
 Wood Street) to bury it amongft other bones taken- 
 out of their charnell." 
 
 Many of the Scots refufed to believe their King to 
 be dead. Lindfay, referring to the Englilh fearching 
 
^HE SCOTTTSSHE KTNGE. 83 
 
 for the King's body after the battle, writes thus : — 
 " Bot they could not find him, albeit they fond 
 fondry in his luferay ; for the fame day of the feild 
 he caufed ten to be in his awin luferay lyk vnto his 
 awin prefent apperell, amonges quhom was tuo of his 
 awin guard : the on called Alexander M'Cullo, and 
 the vther the fquyer of Cleifch, who war both verrie 
 lyk in makdome to the King ; and fo they tuik on of 
 thame, whom they thought lykeft to the Kyng, and 
 keft him in ane chariott, and had him with thame 
 into England ; but trew it is they gott not the King, 
 becaus they had nevir the tokin of his yron belt to 
 fchow to no Scottis man." 
 
 And in another place the fame writer declares : — 
 "But ten yeires thairefter ane certane man being 
 convi(5t of his lyfF for flauchter, offered to the duik of 
 Albanie to latt him fie the place quhair the King was 
 buried, and for the greater evidence, his yron belt befyd 
 him in the grave. Bot this man gott no audience 
 be thame that was about him, and the duik of Albanie 
 defired not that fick things ftiould be knawin." 
 
 Such was the fad fate of " the fcottyfshe kynge " 
 whofe charadter Holinfhed fums up in the following 
 terms : — " This James the fourth was of a firme 
 bodie, of iuft ftature, of moft comelie countenance, 
 and of fharpe witte, but altogether vnlearned, as the 
 fault of that age was. But he did diligentlie applie 
 himfelfe to an old cuftome of the countrie, cunninglie 
 
84 A BALLADE OF 
 
 to cure wounds, the knowledge whereof in times paft 
 was a thing common to all the nobilitie, being 
 alwaies vfed in the warres. He was eafilie to be 
 {poken vnto, gentle in his anlwers, iuft in his iudge- 
 ments, and fo moderat in punifliments, that all men 
 might eafilie fee he was vnwiUinglie drawen vnto 
 them. Againft the detra<5lion of the euill, and ad- 
 monifhment of the good, there was fuch worthinefTe 
 of mind in him (confirmed by the quiet of a good 
 confcience, and the hope of his innocencie) that he 
 would not onelie not be angrie, but not fo much as 
 vfe a fharpe word vnto them. Amongeft which 
 vertues, there were certeine vices crept in by the 
 ouermuch defire to pleafe the people, for whileft he 
 laboured to auoid the note of covetoufnefl"e (obiefted 
 to his father) and fought to win the favour of the 
 common fort (with fumptuous feafts, gorgeous fhewes, 
 and large gifts) he fell into that pouertie, that it 
 feemed (if he had liued long) that he would have loft 
 the favour of his people (wonne in old times) by the 
 impofition of new taxes. Wherefore his death was 
 thought to haue timelie happened vnto him." 
 
 To the above accounts of James and the Battle of 
 Floddon, few notes need be added. Two or three, 
 however, may render the fenfe of the ballad clearer in 
 fome places. 
 
 " A kynge a fomner it is wonder." — Skelton, in his 
 
THE SCOTTTSSHE KTNGE. 85 
 
 difguft at James's letter to Henry, could not fpeak 
 ftrongly enough, fo he ufed an epithet to him which, 
 as an ecclefiaftic, was perhaps the moft fpiteful he could 
 employ. A fbmner, or apparitor, was accounted an 
 exceedingly mean office. Chaucer, in " the Frere's 
 prologue," fays : — 
 
 " A fompnour is a renner vp and doun 
 With mandements afor fornicatioun 
 And is ybete at euery tounes ende." 
 
 And in " the Freres tale " he enlarges, in a ftill more 
 unfavoury manner on the office ni Somner. 
 
 " thre flcippes of a pye," or three hops of a magpie, 
 is a term ufed to denote the finall value of James's 
 expoftulations — fee alfo " your counfeyle was not 
 worth a flye." 
 
 " Ye had bet better to haue bufked to huntey 
 bakes." — Huntly bank was the place where Thomas 
 of Erceldoune met the Fairy Queen, and is on one of 
 the Eldoun Hills — but Skelton feems to have ufed it 
 at random, and only for the fake of the rhyme ; thus in 
 his verfes againft Dundas, " Dundas dronken and 
 drowfy, fkabed, fcuruy, and lowfy," he fays : — 
 
 " Dundas 
 That dronke afTe, 
 That rates and rantis, 
 That prates and prankes 
 On Huntley bankes." 
 
86 A BALLADE OF 
 
 Again, in " Why come ye not to Courte " : 
 
 " They play their olde pranckes. 
 After Huntley bankes : " 
 
 and in " Howe the douty Duke of Albany," &c., 
 
 " And for to wright 
 In the difpyght 
 Of the Scottes ranke 
 Of Huntley banke." 
 
 " That noble erle the whyte Lyon," was Thomas 
 Howard, Earl of Surrey, fon of the firft Duke of 
 Norfolk, flain at Bofworth. He himfelf was there 
 taken prifoner, attainted, and loft the earldom — as his 
 father had loft his dukedom — from the faft of his 
 rebeUion. After three years' imprifonment in the 
 Tower his earldom was reftored, as was alfo his duke- 
 dom after Floddon, when an augmentation of arms 
 was granted to him, bearing on the bend of his own 
 arms a demi-lion of Scotland, pierced through the 
 mouth with an arrow. 
 
 His fon, " the lorde admirall," was at the fame time 
 created Earl of Surrey, 
 
 The white lion was the badge of the houfe of 
 Howard, and Holinftied explains this in the follow- 
 ing way : — " Upon the honor of this viftorie, Thomas 
 Haward earle of Surrie (as a note of the Conqueft) 
 gaue to his feruants this cognifance (to weare on their 
 
THE SCOTTrSSHE KTNGE. 87 
 
 left arme) which was a white Hon (the beaft which he 
 before beare as the proper enfigne of that houfe) 
 ftanding over a red lion (the peculiar note of the' 
 kingdome of Scotland) and tearing the fame red lion 
 with his pawes." 
 
A BALLADE OF THE SCOTTYSSHE KYNGE. 
 
A BALLADE OF THE SCOTTTSSHE KTNGE. 93 
 
 •pj 7noe Hatny/IR otnp pow.ljope is all go 
 Jtj .')€ rommx^ott) out K^ns* loljp tp^eyci^a 
 QTo younotbjmsU^lje accoiite 
 QTo fotnmonowl\pnflcpour (ouaw^otljtr, 
 
9+ 
 
 A BALLADE OF 
 
 a &pttj[e afomnct If is ^otiDer 
 l^noifljc ?8tiot ralte atiti fugec atontier 
 |n pour fomnpnjie pe toere to malapert e 
 ^nttii pour narolDeuo tl)pnje ctperte 
 petljou0l)tpet)ptie ftfuUtjalpauntolpe 
 ^ut not tooitb ttj« mppc0 orappe/. 
 ^prfquper galpartcpc fajerc to Ctopfte. 
 pourVnpIlrmne be fojie pour fogtte.; 
 Cobe ro fcoinefuU topour alpe/ 
 ^our counCeple toa«t\ot tooxthaflpe. 
 ^cfoie tbcfrcnftlje UpttgeAance/avO) otljtt 
 peougt)t(o|)onour pour lojitie atiJibiiothw 
 Ctotorpe (pr»3Iames ijia noble jgiracc/ 
 ir()ivouanogourCcotte8toolt>ctournel)xofece 
 j^otopepiotie fco((ed ofgelaVoape. 
 iFoxpourkpnaemap (^^ngefoelatoape 
 ^otomuttpe knotoe our kpnjge fotpoutregent/ 
 pout Coucrapnc lorDe ant) p^e Cetient^ 
 jn l)pmi0 fiauret) melcbifeoecbe/ 
 %tSi pe be tieiolate ao armeUcl^c 
 i^e ia our noble cljamppon. 
 3 hpngeanopntfo an"Ope benon 
 
 Cbmtipoujrcounfe^lepaurfatiertoaJsClapue 
 foberfoie 31 fere pe topll (uffrepapne/ 
 
 Snl>pep:ioul)e fcottesoEtJunbar 
 garl)epebel)i8l)omagcrv 
 ^ntj lutera to bia parlpment/ 
 petjplienotpourbetotptberm. 
 lUperfotepeTOapit notorepent 
 werepourfelfe Combjbatto boltie/ 
 CberfoAe pehaueloCtpourcopboiTje, 
 
THE SCOTTYSSHE KYNGE. 9S 
 
 pebe bountje tenaunteatoljiscrtate, 
 
 dSpue^VoTotgamcpcplape cbcfemate. 
 
 Sox to tt)e caCtell oCnox^atn 
 
 31 l)nDeicftonl>eto foontpc cam# 
 
 jTojaprpConer tljeve nott) ^c be 
 
 ifpttjerto tbetjeupU oitl)etnmte. 
 
 CljanUttJ be Capnte.XKoxse out latJ^esUttf fl)^ 
 
 four pipij 10 paCle aTitoegoot> tiptl)t. 
 
 pebauc DetermtneTi to mafec afra^e 
 
 flDur b^nge tban bepnge outof tl)e toa^e 
 
 23ut bp tljepotoer ani» mpftbt of go^ 
 
 ^e tocrc bftcn toe tb pour otone tot) 
 
 a3p pour ttjanton topll fpr at att)o:{jbc 
 
 jjebaueloftefpoifg/cote armute/anb (tooabe 
 
 fcbai bft better to bauebutfeeb tobimtepbabC0/ 
 
 Cbanin fingionbe topiape onp (Ucb^pxanfecs 
 
 ^utpe bab fomc hjpU fcbc to fotoe^ 
 
 •Eberfo^epebelapuewoto full lobe/ 
 
 pour potoer cout>e no icnger attapne 
 
 toarretoub out bpngt to tncpntape. 
 
 jgDf tbeRpnge of nauernef emap taUcb^be/ 
 
 i^otoUnfoitunatelpbebotbnotofpebe/ 
 
 3In trouble toeiiea note bcbootbb«me. 
 
 Cbat is aupnge toitou areaime 
 
 %t brmeramplepe toolDe nonctai^e. 
 
 ^3;perpence ijatb btougbt poum tbe Came biafee 
 
 iDCtbeout^Jlea perougb fotcb fcottc^/ 
 
 toe bal^e toell eaCeb pou of tbe bottca 
 
 perotDCranfeeftottfaanbbaofeenbanca 
 
 ^f our engip (Tbe bo wea pe baue fttt e pour bancs. 
 
 3|ti0notfpttpngemtournox totone/ 
 
96 A BALLADE OF THE SCOTTTSSHE KTNGE. 
 
 Ct)atttf bie erif tije tobpce Ipon. 
 
 jl^ia Cone tl)e lotDe aumprall tafuu sood. 
 I^id rmerdet}atl) batt)et) tn djefcotteablolie 
 d^oD CauefepnQe.l^mTj'anD bts loiDcsaU 
 anb Cenbe tbe frenCftje kynge (ucbean otbet fall/ 
 
 jnb sob Caue noble* 
 ^fepnge/ifj^nr;?/ 
 Cbe.tjn;, 
 
'«