Then tooke fhee her fworde and her targett in hand,
Bidding all fuch as wolde, bee of her band,
To wayt on her perfon came thousand and three:
Was not this a brave bonny lafs, Mary Ambree ?

My fouldiers fo valiant and faithfull, fhee fayd,
Nowe followe your captaine, no longer a mayd;
Still formoft in battel myfelfe will I bee:

Was not this a brave bonny laffe, Mary Ambree?

20

Then cryed out her fouldiers, and thus they did fay, 25
Soe well thou becomeft this gallant array,

Thy harte and thy weapons foe well do agree,
Noe mayden was ever like Mary Ambree.

Shee cheared her fouldiers, that foughten for life, With ancyent and ftandard, with drum and with fife, 30 With brave clanging trumpetts, that founded fo free; Was not this a brave bonny laffe, Mary Ambree ?

Before I will fee the worst of you all

To come into danger of death, or of thrall,

This hand and this life I will venture fo free:

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Was not this a brave bonny laffe, Mary Ambree.

Shee led upp her fouldiers in battel arraye,

Gainfi three times theyr number by breake of the daye; Seven howers in fkirmifh continued shee:

Was not this a brave bonny laffe, Mary Ambree? 40

She

She filled the skyes with the fmoke of her shott,
And her enemyes bodyes with bullets foe hott;
For one of her owne men a fcore killed fhee:
Was not this a brave bonny laffe, Mary Ambree? ·

45

And when her falfe gunner, to fpoyle her intent,
Away all her pellets and powder had spent,
Straight with her keen weapon shee flasht him in three :
Was not this a brave bonny laffe, Mary Ambree?

Being falfelye betrayed for lucre of hyre,
At length fhe was forced to make a retyre;
Then her fouldiers into a strong caftle drew fhee:
Was not this a brave bonny laffe, Mary Ambree ?

Her foes they befett her on every fide,

As thinking close siege shee cold never abide
To beate down her walles they all did decree ;
But ftoutlye deffyd them brave Mary Ambree.

Then tooke fhee her fword and her targett in hand,
And mounting the walls all undaunted did ftand,
There daring the captaines to match any three:
O what à brave captaine was Mary Ambree!

50

55

60

Now faye, English captaine, what woldest thou give
To ranfome thy felfe, which elfe must not live?
Come yield thyfelfe quicklye, or flaine thou must bee.
Then fmiled fweetlye faire Mary Ambree,

Ye

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Ye captaines couragious, of valour fo bold,
Whom thinke you before you now you doe behold?

A knight, fir, of England, and captaine foe free,
Who fhortelye with us a prisoner must bee.

No captaine of England; behold in your fight
Two brefts in my bofome, and therfore noe knight: 70
Noe knight, firs, of England, nor captaine you fee,
But a poor fimple mayden, calld Mary Ambree.

But art thou a woman, as thou dost declare,
Whofe valor hath provd fo undaunted in warre?
If England doth yield fuch brave maydens as thee, 75
Full well may they conquer, faire Mary Ambree.

The prince of Great Parma heard of her renowne,
Who long had advanced for Englands faire crowne;
Hee wooed her and fued her his miftrefs to bee,
And offerd rich presents to Mary Ambree.

But this virtuous mayden defpifed them all,
Ile nere fell my honour for purple nor pall:
A mayden of England, fir, never will bee
The whore of a monarcke, quoth Mary Ambree.

80

Then to her owne country fhee backe did returne, 85 Still holding the foes of faire England in fcorne: Therfore English captaines of every degree

Sing forth the brave valours of Mary Ambree.

XX. BRAVE

XX.

BRAVE LORD WILLOUGHBY.

Peregrine Bertie lord Willoughby of Erefby had, in the year 1586, diftinguished himself at the fiege of Zutphen in the Low Countries. He was the year after made general of the English forces in the United Provinces, in room of the earl of Leicefter, who was recalled. This gave him an opportunity of fignalizing his courage and military skill in feveral actions against the Spaniards. One of thefe, greatly exaggerated by popular report, is probably the fubject of this old ballad, which, on account of its flattering encomiums on Englif valour, hath always been a favourite with the people.

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My lord Willoughbie (Jays a contemporary writer) was one of the queenes beft fword/men: he was a great "mafter of the art military.. I have heard it spoken, "that had he not flighted the court, but applied himself to "the queene, he might have enjoyed a plentifull portion of "her grace; and it was his Jaying, and it did him no good, "that he was none of the REPTILIA; intimating, that he "could not creepe on the ground, and that the court was not "his element; for indeed, as he was a great fouldier, fo be was of fuitable magnanimitie, and could not brooke the ob"fequioufnelle and affiduitie of the court." (Naunton.) Lord Willoughbie died in 1601.-Both Norris and Turner were famous among the military men of that age:

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The fubject of this ballad (which is printed from an old black-letter copy) may poffibly receive illuftration from what CHAPMAN fays in the Dedicat. to his verfion of Homer's Frogs and Mice, concerning the brave and memorable Retreat of Sir John Norris, with only 1000 men, thro' the whole Spanish army, under the duke of Parma, for three miles together.

THE

.

HE fifteenth day of July,

ΤΗ

With gliftering fpear and shield,

A famous fight in Flanders

Was foughten in the field :

The most couragious officers

Were English captains three; But the bravest man in battel Was brave lord Willoughbèy.

The next was captain Norris,

A valiant man was hee:

The other captain Turner,

From field would never flee.

With fifteen hundred fighting men,

Alas! there were no more,

They fought with fourteen thousand then
Upon the bloody fhore.

Stand to it noble pikemen,

And look you round about :
And shoot you right you bow-men,
And we will keep them out:
You mufquet and callìver men,

Do you prove true to me,
I'le be the formoft man in fight,

Says brave lord Willoughbèy.