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"Dunbar, Sheriffe of Murray. It was given out and publickly talkt, that the Earle of Huntley was only the inftrument of perpetrating this facte, to fatisfie the King's jealoufe of Murray, qubum the Queene more rafkely than wifely, Jome few days before had commendit in the King's hearing, with too many epithets of a proper "and gallant man. The reafons of these furmifes pro"ceedit from a proclamatione of the Kings, the 13 of Marche following; inhibiteine the young Earle of Mur

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ray to perfue the Earle of Huntley, for his father's "flaughter, in respect he being wardeit [imprisoned] in "the caftell of Blacknesse for the fame murther, was willing to abide a tryall, averring that he had done nothing "but by the King's majeflies commiffione; and was neither "airt nor part in the murther †.”

The following ballad is here given from a copy printed not long fince at Glasgow, in one sheet 8vo. The world was indebted for its publication to the lady Jean Hume, ffter to the Earle of Hume, who died lately at Gibraltar.

A

BOUT Zule, quhen the wind blew cule,

And the round tables began,

A'! there is cum to our kings court

Mony a well-favourd man.

The queen luikt owre the caftle wa,

Beheld baith dale and down,
And then fhe faw zoung Waters
Cum riding to the town.

His footmen they did rin before,
His horfemen rade behind,
Ane mantel of the burning gowd
Did keip him frae the wind.

P 4

This extract is copied from the Critical Review.

S

Gowden

Gowden graith'd his horfe before

And filler fhod behind,

The horse zoung Waters rade upon

Was fleeter than the wind.

But than spake a wylie lord,
Unto the queen faid he,

O tell me qhua's the fairest face
Rides in the company.

I've fene lord, and I've fene laird,
And knights of high degree;
Bot a fairer face than zoung Watèrs
Mine eyne did never fee.

Out then spack the jealous king,

(And an angry man was he) O, if he had been twice as fair, Zou micht have excepted me.

Zou're neither laird nor lord, fhe fays,
Bot the king that wears the crown ;
Theris not a knight in fair Scotland

Bot to thee maun bow down.

15

20

25

30

For a' that she could do or fay,

Appeasd he wad nae bee;

Bot for the words which fhe had faid

35

Zoung Waters he maun dee.

They Hae taen zoung Waters, and

Put fetters to his feet

They hae taen zoung Waters, and
Thrown him in dungeon deep.

Aft I have ridden thro' Stirling town
In the wind both and the weit

Bot I neir rade thro' Stirling town

Wi fetters at my feet.

;

40

Aft have I ridden thro' Stirling town

45

In the wind both and the rain ;
Bot I neir rade thro' Stirling town

Neir to return again.

They hae taen to the heiding hill *
His zoung fon in his craddle,

And they hae taen to the heiding-hill,
His horse both and his faddle.

They hae taen to the heiding-hill

50

His lady fair to fee.

And for the words the Queen had spoke,

55

Zoung Waters he did dee.

XIX. M A

Heiding-hill; . e. heading [beheading] bill. The place of exe

oution was anciently an artificial billock.

In the year 1584, the Spaniards, under the command of Alexander Farneje prince of Parma, began to gain great advantages in Flanders and Brabant, by recovering many ftrong holds and cities from the Hollanders, as Ghent, (called then by the English GAUNT,) Antwerp, Mechlin, &c. See Stow's Annals, p. 711. Some attempt made with the affistance of English volunteers to retrieve the former of thoje places probably gave occafion to this ballad. I can find no mention of our heroine in hiftory, but the following rhymes rendered ber famous among cur poets. Ben Johnson often mentions her, and calls any remarkable vireg by her name. See his Epicane, first acted in 1609. A&t 4. fc. 2. His Tale of a Tub, Act 1. fc. 4. And his mafque intitled the Fortunate Ifles, 1626, where he quotes the very words of the baliad,

MARY AMBREE,

(Who marched fo free
To the fiege of Gaunt,
And death could not daunt,
As the ballad doth vaunt)
Were a braver wight, &c.,

She is alfo mentioned in Fletcher's Scornful Lady, A&t 5. fub finem.

My large gentlewoman, my MARY AMBREE, "bad I but feen into you, you should have had another bedfellow."

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This ballad is printed from a black-letter copy in the Pepys Collection, improved from the Editor's folio MS. The full title is, The valorous acts performed at Gaunt by the brave bonnie lafs Mary Ambree, who in revenge of her lovers death did play her part moft gallantly. The tune "is, The blind beggar, &c.

WHE

HEN captaines couragious, whom death colde
not daunte,

Did march to the fiege of the cittye of Gaunte,
They muftred their fouldiers by two and by three,
And formoft in battle was Mary Ambree.

When brave Sir John Major ‡ was flaine in her fight, 5
Who was her true lover, her joy, and delight,
Because he was flaine moft treacherouflìe,
Then vowd to revenge him Mary Ambree.

She clothed herselfe from the top to the toe
In buffe of the braveft, moft feemelye to fhowe;
A faire fhirt of male + then flipped on thee;
Was not this a brave bonny lafs, Mary Ambree?

A helmett of proofe fhe ftrait did provide,
A ftrong arminge fword fhee girt by her fide,
On her hand a goodly faire gauntlett had shee;
Was not this a brave bonny lafs, Mary Ambree?

10

15

Then

So MS. Serjeant Major in PC.

+ A peculiar kind of armour, compofed of fmail rings of iron, and worn under the cloaths. It is mentioned by Spencer, who speaks of the Irifl Gallowglafs or Foot-foldier as "armed in a long Shirt of May!" (View of the State of Ireland.)