Book Description

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1864 edition. Excerpt: ... CHEVY-CHACE. The text of this later ballad of Chevy-Chace is given as it appears in Old Ballads (1723), vol. i. p. Ill, and in Durfey's Pills to Purge Melancholy, vol. iv. p. 289, and differs very slightly from that of the Reliques (i. 265), where the ballad -was printed from the folio MS., compared -with two other black-letter copies. The age of this version of the story is not known, but it is certainly not later, says Dr. Rimbault, than the reign of Charles the Second. Addison's papers in the Spectator (Nos. 70 and 74) evince so true a perception of the merits of this ballad, shorn as it is of the most striking beauties of the grand original, tbat we cannot but deeply regret his never having seen the ancient and genuine copy, which was published by Hearne only a few days after Addison died. Well might the Spectator dissent from the judgment of Sidney, if this were the rude and ill-apparelled song of a barbarous age. Gob prosper long our noble king, Our lives and safeties all; A woful hunting once there did In Chevy-Chace befall. To drive the deer with hound and horn, a Erie Piercy took his way; The child may rue that is unborn, The hunting of that day. The stout Earl of Northumberland A vow to God did make, His pleasure in the Scottish woods Three summer's days to take; The chiefest harts in Chevy-Chace To kill and bear away: The tidings to Earl Douglas came, In Scotland where he lay. Who sent Earl Piercy present word, He would prevent his sport; The English earl not fearing this, Did to the woods resort, With fifteen hundred bow-men bold All chosen men of might, Who knew fall well in time of need To aim their shafts aright. The gallant greyhounds swiftly ran, To chase the fallow deer; On Monday they began to hunt, When day-light did...