Jameses, and the long detention of one of them in England, would render the name familiar to the English, and dispose a poet in those rude times to give it to any Scottish king he happened to mention. So much for the date of this old ballad: with regard to its subject, although it has no countenance from history, there is room to think it had originally some foundation in fact. It was one of the Laws of the Marches frequently renewed between the two nations, that neither party should hunt in the other's borders, without leave from the proprietors or their deputies*. There had long been a rivalship between the two martial families of Percy and Douglas, which, heightened by the national quarrel, must have produced frequent challenges and struggles for superiority, petty invasions of their respective domains, and sharp contests for the point of honour; which would not always be recorded in history. Something of this kind, we may suppose, gave rise to the ancient ballad of the HUNTING A' THE CHEVIAT†. Percy earl of Northumberland had vowed to hunt for three days, in the Scottish border without condescending to ask leave from earl Douglas, who was either lord of the soil, or lord warden of the marches. Douglas would not fail to resent the insult, and endeavour to repel the intruders by force: this would naturally produ ce a sharp conflict between the two parties; something of which, it is probable, did really happen, though not attended with the tragical circumstances recorded in the ballad: for these are evidently borrowed from the BATTLE OF OTTERBOURN‡, a very different event, but which *Item. . . Concordatum est, quod, . . . NULLUS unius partis vel alterius ingrediatur terras, boschas, forrestas, warrenas, loca, dominia quæcunque alicujus partis alterius subditi, causa venandi, piscandi, aucupandi, disportum aut solatium in eisdem, aliave quæcunque de causa, ABSQUE LICENTIA ejus ad quem loca. pertinent, aut de deputatis suis prius capt. & obtent. Vid. Bp. Nicolson's Leges Marchiarum, 1705, 8vo. pp. 27. 51. This was the original title. See the ballad, Pt. 1. v. 106. Pt. 2. v. 165. See the next ballad. B 2 aftertimes aftertimes would easily confound with it. That battle might be owing to some such previous affront as this of CHEVY-CHASE, though it has escaped the notice of historians. Our poet has evidently jumbled the two subjects together: if indeed the lines*, in which this mistake is made, are not rather spurious, and the after-insertion of some person, who did not distinguish between the two stories. Hearne has printed this ballad without any division of stanzas, in long lines, as he found it in the old written copy: but it is usual to find the distinction of stanzas neglected in ancient MSS; where, to save room, two or three verses are frequently given in one line undivided. See flagrant instances in the Harleian Catalog. No. 2253. s. 29. 34. 61. 70, passim. THE FIRST FITT. THE Persè owt of Northombarlande, Off Chyviat within dayes thre, The fattiste hartes in all Cheviat He sayd he wold kill, and cary them away: V. 5. magger in Hearne's PC. [Printed Copy] 5 10 Then Then the Persè owt of Banborowe cam, With fifteen hondrith archares bold; The wear chosen out of shyars thre*. This begane on a monday at morn 15 In Cheviat the hillys so he; The chyld may rue that ys un-born, It was the mor pitté. The dryvars thorowe the woodes went For to reas the dear; Bomen bickarte uppone the bent With ther browd aras cleare. Then the wyld thorowe the woodes went Grea-hondes thorowe the greves glent For to kyll thear dear. The begane in Chyviat the hyls above. Yerly on a monnyn day ; 20 -25 Ver. 11. The the Persè. PC. V. 13. archardes bolde off blood and bone. PC. V. 19. throrowe. PC. 条 By these" shyars thre" is probably meant three districts in Northumberland, which still go by the name of shires, and are all in the neighbourhood of Cheviot. These are Islandshire, being the district so named from Holy-Island: Norehamshire, so called from the town and castle of Noreham (or Norham): and Bamboroughshire, the ward or hundred belonging to Bamborough-castle and town. Be Be that it drewe to the oware off none The blewe a mort uppone the bent, To se the bryttlynge off the deare. 30 He sayd, It was the Duglas promys 35 But I wyste he wold faylle verament: A gret oth the Persè swear. At the laste a squyar of Northombelonde Lokyde at his hand full ny, He was war ath the doughetie Doglas comynge: With him a mightè meany, Both with spear, 'byll,' and brande : Yt was a myghti sight to se. Hardyar men both off hart nar hande Wear not in Christiantè. The wear twenty hondrith spear-men good Withouten any fayle; The wear borne a-long be the watter a Twyde, 40 45 Yth bowndes of Tividale. 50 V. 31. blwe a mot. PC. V. 42. myghtte. PC. passim. V. 43. brylly. PC. V. 48. withowte .feale. PC. Leave off the brytlyng of the dear, he sayde, The dougheti Dogglas on a stede He rode att his men beforne; His armor glytteryde as dyd a glede ; Tell me what' men ye ar, he says, The first mane that ever him an answear mayd, 55 60 We wyll not tell the 'what' men we ar, he says, 65 Nor whos men that we be; But we wyll hount hear in this chays The fattiste hartes in all Chyviat We have kyld, and cast to carry them a-way. 70 V. 52. boys. PC. V. 54. ned. PC. V. 59. whos. PC. V. 65. whoys. PC. V. 71. agay. PC. The |