The English And Scottish Popular Ballads

by FRANCIS JAMES CHILD.

Home Main Menu Singing & Playing Order & Order Info Support Search Voucher Codes



Share page  Visit Us On FB

Index  Previous  Next 

172A: Musselburgh Field


172A.1	 ON the tenth day of December,
	 And the fourth yeere of King Edwards raigne,
	 Att Musleboorrowe, as I remember,
	 Two goodly hosts there mett on a plaine.
172A.2	 All that night they camped there,
	 Soe did the Scotts, both stout and stubborne;
	 But "[wellaway,"] it was their song,
	 For wee haue taken them in their owne turne.
172A.3	 Over night they carded for our English mens coates;
	 They fished before their netts were spunn;
	 A white for sixpence, a red for two groates;
	 Now wisdome wold haue stayed till they had been woone.
172A.4	 Wee feared not but that they wold fight,
	 Yett itt was turned vnto their owne paine;
	 Thoe against one of vs that they were eight,
	 Yett with their owne weapons wee did them beat.
172A.5	 On the twelfth day in the morne
	 The made a face as the wold fight,
	 But many a proud Scott there was downe borne,
	 And many a ranke coward was put to flight.
172A.6	 But when they heard our great gunnes cracke,
	 Then was their harts turned into their hose;
	 They cast down their weapons, and turned their backes,
	 They ran soe fast  that the fell on their nose.
172A.7	 The Lord Huntley, wee had him there;
	 With him hee brought ten thousand men,
	 Yett, God bee thanked, wee made them such a banquett
	 That none of them returned againe.
172A.8	 Wee chased them to D[alkeith]
	 * * * * *

Next: 173. Mary Hamilton