THE RISING IN THE NORTH.
Reading edition
The subject of this ballad is the great Northern Insurrection in the 12th of Elizabeth, 1569. It happened thus:—
The zealous adherents of the Romish religion being dissatisfied at the change, formed the design of re-establishing that faith, restoring Mary of Scotland to her liberty, and placing her on the throne of England. The earls of Northumberland and Westmoreland, who possessed great power in the north, having held together several conferences, orders were despatched by Elizabeth to these noblemen to appear at court, and answer for their conduct. This order from the queen precipitated the rising before they were fully prepared, for the leaders had already proceeded so far that they dare not trust themselves in the queen's hands. They determined to begin the insurrection without delay; and committed themselves irrevocably by entering Durham in arms, on the 14th November, 1569. This rising was speedily suppressed, and martial law having been proclaimed, great severity was exercised. The earl of Northumberland and many gentlemen were executed; sixty-six petty constables were hanged; and not less than eight hundred persons are said to have suffered by the hands of the executioner. Between Newcastle and Wetherby, a district of sixty miles in length by forty in breadth, there was not a town or village in which some of the inhabitants did not expire on the gibbet.
The following was first printed by Dr. Percy, in 1765, from two MS. copies.
Listen, lively lordings all, Lithe and listen unto me, And I will sing of a noble earle, The noblest earle in the north countrie. Earle Percy[111] is into the garden gone, And after him walkes his faire ladie:[112] "I heard a bird sing in mine eare, That I must either fight, or flee." "Now heaven forfend, my dearest lord, That ever such harm should hap to thee: But goe to London to the court, And faire full truth and honestie." "Now nay, now nay, my ladye gay, Alas! thy counsell suits not mee; Mine enemies prevail so fast That at the court I may not bee." "O goe to the court yet, good my lord, And take thy gallant men with thee: If any dare to doe you wrong, Then your warrant they may be." "Now nay, now nay, thou lady faire, The court is full of subtiltie; And if I goe to the court, lady, Never more I may thee see." "Yet goe to the court, my lord," she sayes, "And I myselfe will ryde wi' thee: At court then for my dearest lord, His faithfull borrowe[113] I will be." "Now nay, now nay, my lady deare, Far lever[114] had I lose my life, Than leave among my cruell foes My love in jeopardy and strife. "But come thou hither, my little foot-page, Come thou hither unto mee, To maister Norton[115] thou must goe, In all the haste that ever may bee. "Commend me to that gentleman, And beare this letter here fro' mee; And say that earnestly I praye, He will ryde in my companie." One while the little foot-page went, And another while he ran; Untill he came to his journey's end; The little foot-page never blan.[116] When to that gentleman he came, Down he kneeled on his knee; And took the letter betwixt his hands, And lett the gentleman it see. And when the letter it was redd Affore that goodlye companye, I wis, if you the truth wold know, There was many a weeping eye. He sayd, "Come thither, Christopher Norton,[117] A gallant youth thou seemst to bee; What doest thou counsell me, my sonne, Now that good earle's in jeopardy?" "Father, my counselle's fair and free; That earle he is a noble lord, And whatsoever to him you hight, I wold not have you break your word." "Gramercy, Christopher, my sonne, Thy counsell well it liketh mee, And if we speed and scape with life, Well advanced shalt thou bee. "Come you hither, my nine good sonnes, Gallant men I trowe you bee; How many of you, my children deare, Will stand by that good earle and mee?" Eight of them did answer make, Eight of them spake hastilie, "O father, till the daye we dye We'll stand by that good earle and thee." "Gramercy now, my children deare, You showe yourselves right bold and brave; And whethersoe'er I live or dye, A father's blessing you shall have. "But what sayst thou, O Francis Norton,[118] Thou art mine eldest sonne and heire: Somewhat lyes brooding in thy breast; Whatever it bee, to mee declare." "Father, you are an aged man, Your head is white, your bearde is gray; It were a shame at these your years For you to ryse in such a fray." "Now fye upon thee, coward Francis, Thou never learnedest this of mee: When thou wert yong and tender of age, Why did I make soe much of thee?" "But, father, I will wend with you, Unarm'd and naked will I bee; And he that strikes against the crowne, Ever an ill death may he dee." Then rose that reverend gentleman, And with him came a goodlye band To join with the brave earle Percy, And all the flower o' Northumberland. With them the noble Nevill[119] came The earle of Westmoreland was hee; At Wetherbye they mustred their host, Thirteen thousand faire to see. Lord Westmoreland his ancyent[120] raisde, The Dun Bull he rays'd on hye, And three Dogs with golden collars Were there sett out most royallye.[121] Earle Percy there his ancyent spred, The Halfe-Moone shining all soe faire:[122] The Norton's ancyent had the crosse, And the five wounds our Lord did beare. Then sir George Bowes[123] he straitways rose After them some spoyle to make: Those noble earles turn'd backe againe, And aye they vowed that knight to take. That baron he to his castle fled, To Barnard castle then fled hee,[124] The uttermost walles were eathe[125] to win, The earles have wonne them presentlie. The uttermost walles were lime and bricke; But thoughe they won them soon anone, Long e'er they wan the innermost walles, For they were cut in rocke of stone. Then newes unto leeve[126] London came In all the speede that ever might bee, And word is brought to our royall queene Of the rysing in the north countrie. Her grace she turned her round about, And like a royall queene she swore,[127] I will ordayne them such a breakfast, As never was in the north before. Shee caus'd thirty thousand men berays'd, With horse and harneis[128] faire to see; Shee caus'd thirty thousand men berays'd To take the earles i' th' north countrie. Wi' them the false earle Warwick[129] went, Th' earle Sussex[130] and the lord Hunsdon;[131] Untill they to Yorke castle came I wis, they never stint ne blan. "Now spred thy ancyent, Westmoreland, Thy Dun Bull faine would we spye; And thou, the earle o' Northumberland, Now rayse thy Halfe-Moone up on hye." But the Dun Bull is fled and gone, And the Halfe-Moone vanished away: The earles, though they were brave and bold, Against soe many could not stay. "Thee, Norton, wi' thine eight good sonnes, Thy donn'd to dye, alas! for ruth![132] Thy reverend lockes thee could not save, Nor them their faire and blooming youthe." Wi' them full many a gallant wight They cruellye bereav'd of life: And many a childe made fatherlesse, And widowed many a tender wife.