The Battle of Otterburn (or Otterbourne) is a Scottish ballad, another of the “Child Ballads.” It is an account of the Scottish victory at the Battle of Otterburn in 1388 (also called the Battle of Chevy Chase)., part of the Scottish/English border wars. James, the “doughty Earl of Douglas,” was one of the leaders on the Scottish side; Sir Henry Percy, nicknamed Hotspur, had been assigned to guard Newcastle (which was, at that time, actually a castle). The day before the actual battle, Douglas and Percy had fought a duel, which Douglas won. A day later, the Scots camped in the woods near Otterburn, but were found and attacked by the English forces. Douglas was killed during the battle; but the Scots still claimed the victory.
Because the original ballad contains many verses, it has
sometimes been shortened for performance. Scottish singing group The Corries
have performed the song as “The Lammas Tide,” and their shortened version is
marked below. (They repeat the first two stanzas at the end.) We recommend the
shortened version for all but the doughtiest ballad singers.
There are various tunes to which the ballad can be sung;
but, again, the Corries’ version is probably the most singable.
“Lammastide” or “Lammas Tide” is, more or less, the month of
August. There are other Scottish terms used in the ballad, but most of them are
self-explanatory.
One more note: The Corries’ shorter version, convenient as it is
for singing, seems to imply that proud Percy fell before a Scottish spear
before the battle even happened; but that, as stated above, was only the
beginning.
Lyrics (As Sung by The Corries)
Now it fell about the Lammas tide
When the muir-men win their hay
The doughty Douglas bound him ride
Into England, to drive a prey
He chose the Gordons and the Graemes
The Lindesays, light and gay
But the Jardines wald nor with him ride
And they rue it to this day
He has burn'd the dales of Tyne
And part of Bambrough shire
Three tall towers on Reidswire fells
He left them all on fire
And he march'd up to Newcastle
And rode it round about
Sayin wha's the lord of this castle?
And wha's the lady o't?
But up spake proud Lord Percy then
And O but he spake hie
I am the lord of this castle
My wife's the lady gaye
If thou'rt the lord of this castle
Sae weel it pleases me
For, 'er I cross the Border fells
Ane o us twa shall dee OR The ane o' us sall dee [One
of us two shall die]
He took a lang spear in his hand
Shod with the metal free
And for to meet the Douglas there
He rade right furiously
But oh how pale his lady looked
Frae off the castle wall
When down before the Scottish
spear
She saw proud Percy fall
(Corries’ version: repeat the first two stanzas as an
ending)
More Stanzas (Optional)
'Had we twa been upon the green,
And never an eye to see,
I wad hae had you, flesh and fell;
But your sword sall gae wi me.'
'The Otterbourne's a bonnie burn;
'Tis pleasant there to be;
But there is nought at Otterbourne
To feed my men and me.
'The deer rins wild on hill and dale,
The birds fly wild frae tree to tree;
But there is neither bread nor kale
To fend my men and me.
'Yet I will stay at Otterbourne,
Where you shall welcome be;
And, if ye come not at three dayis end,
A fause lord I'll ca thee.
'Thither will I come,' proud Percy said,
'By the might of Our Ladye';
'There will I bide thee' said the Douglas,
'My troth I plight to thee.'
They lighted high on Otterbourne,
Upon the bent sae brown;
They lighted high on Otterbourne,
And threw their pallions down.
And he that had a bonnie boy
Sent out his horse to grass;
And he that had not a bonnie boy
His ain servant he was.
But up then spake a little page,
Before the peep of dawn:
'O waken ye, waken ye, my good lord,
For Percy's hard at hand.'
'Ye lie, ye lie, ye liar loud!
Sae loud I hear ye lie:
For Percy had not men yestreen
To dight my men and me.
'But I have dreamed a dreary dream,
Beyond the Isle of Skye;
I saw a dead man win a fight,
And I think that man was I.'
He belted on his guid braid sword,
And to the field he ran,
But he forgot the helmet good,
That should have kept his brain.
When Percy with the Douglas met,
I wat he was fu fain;
They swakked their swords, till sair they swat,
And the blood ran down like rain.
But Percy with his good broad sword,
That could so sharply wound,
has wounded Douglas on the brow,
Till he fel to the ground.
Then he call'd on his little foot-page,
And said, Run speedilie,
And fetch my ain dear sister's son,
Sir Hugh Montgomery.
'My nephew's good,' the Douglas said,
'What recks the death of ane!
Last night I dreamed a dreary dream,
And I ken the day's thy ain.
'My wound is deep; I fain would sleep;
Take thou the vanguard of the three,
And hide me by the braken-bush,
That grows on yonder lilye lee.
'O bury me by the braken-bush,
Beneath the blooming brier,
Let never a living mortal ken
That ere a kindly Scot lies here.'
He lifted up that noble lord,
Wi the saut tear in his ee;
He hid him in the braken-bush,
That his merrie men might not see.
The moon was clear, the day drew near,
The spears in flinders flew,
But mony a gallant Englishman
Ere day the Scotsmen slew.
The Gordons good, in English blood
They steepd their hose and shoon;
The Lindsays flew like fire about,
Till all the fray was done.
The Percy and Montgomery met,
That either of other were fain;
They swapped swords, and they twa swat,
And aye the blood ran down between.
'Now yield thee, yield thee, Percy,' he said,
'Or else I vow I'll lay thee low!'
'To whom must I yield,' quoth Earl Percy,
'Now that I see it must be so?'
'Thou shalt not yield to lord nor loun,
Nor shalt thou yield to me;
But yeild to the braken-bush,
That grows upon yon lilye lee.'
'I will not yield to a braken-bush,
Nor yet will I yield to a brier;
But I would yield to Earl Douglas,
Or Sir Hugh Montgomery, if he were here.'
As soon as he knew it was Montgomery,
He struck his sword's point in the gronde;
The Montgomery was a courteous knight,
And quickly took him by the honde.
This deed was done at the Otterbourne,
About the breaking of the day;
Earl Douglas was buried at the braken-bush,
And the Percy led captive away.
Video Link
The Lammas Tide by The Corries
The Ballad of Otterburn, sung by June Tabor (from the album An Echo of Hooves). (This is a different tune from that of The Corries.)
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