Rhymes of Northern Bards: Being a Curious Collection of Old and New Songs and Poems, Peculiar to the Counties of Newcastle Upon Tyne, Northumberland, and Durham

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John Bell
J. Bell, 1812 - Ballads, English - 334 pages

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Page 129 - Percy present word, He would prevent his sport. The English Earl, not fearing that, Did to the woods resort With fifteen hundred bowmen bold, All chosen men of might, Who knew full well in time of need To aim their shafts aright.
Page 133 - With that, there came an arrow keen Out of an English bow, Which struck Earl Douglas to the heart, A deep and deadly blow ; Who never spake more words than these, " Fight on, my merry men all ; For why, my life is at an end, Lord Percy sees my fall.
Page 131 - I'll do the best that do I may, While I have power to stand : While I have power to wield my sword, I'll fight with heart and hand...
Page 121 - France, Nor for no man of a woman born, But and fortune be my chance, I dar met him on man for on.
Page 128 - GOD prosper long our noble king, Our lives and safeties all ; A woful hunting once there did In Chevy-Chase befall. To drive the deer with hound and horn Earl Percy took his way ; The child may rue that is unborn The hunting of that day.
Page 157 - For seven miles east, and Seven miles west, And seven miles north, and south, No blade of grass or corn could grow, So venomous was her mouth. « The milk of seven stately cows (It was costly her to keep) Was brought her daily, which she drank Before she went to sleep.
Page 136 - Bout stacks wi' the lasses at bogle to play; But ilk ane sits drearie, lamenting her dearie — The Flowers of the Forest are weded away. Dool and wae for the order, sent our lads to the Border ! The English, for ance, by guile wan the day ; The Flowers of the Forest, that fought aye the foremost, The prime of our land, are cauld in the clay.
Page 276 - ROOKHOPE stands in a pleasant place, If the false thieves wad let it be, But away they steal our goods apace, And ever an ill death may they dee ! And so is the man of Thirlwall and Willie-haver, And all their companies thereabout, That is minded to do mischief, And at their stealing stands not out.
Page 134 - The noble Earl was slain : He had a bow bent in his hand, Made of a trusty tree ; An arrow of a cloth-yard long...
Page 129 - Their backsides all, with special care, That day were guarded sure. The hounds ran swiftly through the woods, The nimble deer to take, That with their cries the hills and dales An echo shrill did make. Lord Percy to the quarry went, To view the tender deer ; Quoth he, "Earl Douglas promised This day to meet me here ; But if I thought he would not come, No longer would I stay.

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