XIX.

MARY AMBRE E.

In the year 1584, the Spaniards, under the command of Alexander Farnefe prince of Parma, began to gain great advantages in Flanders and Brabant, by recovering many fr ng-holds and cities from the Hollanders, as Ghent, (called then by the English GAUNT,) Antwerp, Mechlin, &c. See Stor's Annals, p. 711. Some attempt made with the affiftance of English volunteers to retrieve the former of thofe 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 our poets. Ben Johnson often mentions her, and calls remarkable virago by her name. See his Epicane, first acted in 1609. Act 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 ballad,

any

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, Aa 5. fub finem.

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

دو

This

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."

66

66

WH

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 most treacherouslìe,
Then vowd to revenge him Mary Ambree.

She clothed herselfe from the top to the toe
In buffe of the bravest, most seemelye to showe;
A faire fhirt of male + then flipped on fhee;
Was not this a brave bonny lass, Mary Ambree?

10

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

15

Then

*So MS. Serjeant Major in PC.

A common phrafe in that age for a Coat of Mail. So Spencer Speaks of the Irish Gallowglafs or Foot-foldier as "armed in a long Shirt of Mayl." (View of the State of Ireland.)

Then tooke shee 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 myselfe 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 standard, 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:

Was not this a brave bonny laffe, Mary Ambree ?

Shee led her fouldiers in battel arraye,

upp

35

Gainst three times theyr number by breake of the daye ; Seven howers in fkirmish continued fhee:

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

She

She filled the fkyes with the smoke of her shott,
And her enemye's bodyes with bullets foe hott;
For one of her owne men a fcore killed fhee:
Was not this a brave bonny laffe, Mary Ambree?

And when her falfe gunner, to fpoyle her intent,

Away all her pellets and powder had spent,

45

Straight with her keen weapon fhee 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 ftrong caftle drew fhee:
Was not this a brave bonny laffe, Mary Ambre ?

50

Her foes they befett her on every fide,

As thinking close fiege fhee cold never abide;

To beate down her walles they all did decree;
But ftoutlye deffyd them brave Mary Ambree.

55

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

60

Now faye, English captaine, what woldeft thou give
To ransome thy felfe, which elfe must not live?
Come yield thy felfe quicklye, or flaine thou must bec.
Then smiled fweetlye faire Mary Ambree.

3

Ye

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 prifoner muft bee.

65

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,
Whose valor hath provd so undaunted in warre?
If England doth yield such 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 sued her his mistress 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.

Then to her owne country shee backe did returne,
Still holding the foes of faire England in fcorne:
Therfore English captaines of every degree
Sing forth the brave valours of Mary Ambree.

8@

85

XX. BRAVE