Northumberland Yesterday and To-day Part 16

"Life by life the man redeems them, head by storm-worn head, While the girl's hand stays the boat whereof the waves are fain."

With five of the exhausted survivors the boat returned to the Longstone; and two of the men went back with William Darling for the other four.

All were safely housed in the lighthouse and tended by the n.o.ble family of the Darlings; but the storm raged for several days longer, and made it impossible for them to be put ash.o.r.e. When at length they returned to their homes, and the story of the rescue was made known, the whole country was moved by it; and presents of all kinds, money, and offers of marriage poured in upon Grace, who remained quite unmoved by it all, and was still the gentle una.s.suming girl that she had always been. She refused to leave her home, though she was offered twenty pounds a night at the Adelphi if she would consent merely to sit in a boat for London audiences to gaze upon her. Sad to say, she died of consumption about two years afterwards, after having tried in vain to arrest the course of her sickness by change of air at Wooler and Alnwick; and she sleeps in Bamburgh churchyard, within sound of the sea by which she had spent her short life.

"East and west and south acclaim her queen of England's maids.

Star more sweet than all their stars, and flower than all their flowers."

The actual boat in which the gallant deed was performed was long preserved at Newton Hall, Stocksfield; but the owners have lately presented it to the Marine Laboratory at Cullercoats.

[Ill.u.s.tration:]

CHAPTER XI.

BALLADS AND POEMS.

The ballads of Northumberland, as all true ballads should do, partake of the characteristics of the district which is their home. As we should expect, they treat chiefly of warlike themes, of the chieftain's doughty deeds, the moss-trooper's daring and skill, of the knight's courtesies and gallant feats of arms, and the feuds of rival clans; in fact, they portray for us vividly the time of which they treat, and in a few graphic touches bring before us the very spirit of the period. In direct and simple phrases the narrative proceeds, giving with rare power just the necessary expression to the tale.

These ballads fall naturally into three main divisions. The historical ballad is at its best in the famous "Chevy-Chase," which has been the delight of gentle and simple for centuries; and the oft-quoted declaration of Sir Philip Sidney concerning it still finds an echo in our own day.

Of the two best known versions of the ballad, the one here given is the more poetical by far; the other, however, contains the account of the courage of Hugh Widdrington which has made the gallant squire immortal.

The latter version is as evidently English as the former is Scottish; or rather, each has grown to its present form as the reciters exercised their art to please an English or a Scottish audience. In the one version it is Douglas who takes the offensive, and challenges Percy, waiting for him at Otterbourne; in the other we are told that

"The stout Erle of Northumberland A vow to G.o.d did make, His pleasure in the Scottish woods Three summer days to take."

On the death of Douglas--

"Erle Percy took The dead man by the hand, And said, 'Erle Douglas, for thy life Would I had lost my land!'"

When the battle is over,

"Next day did many widdowes come Their husbands to bewayle; Their bodyes bathed in purple blood They bore with them away; They kist them dead a thousand times Ere they were cladd in clay."

It was neither of these versions, however, that so moved the heart of gallant Sidney, but a much older one, beginning

"The Perse owt off Northomberlande And a vow to G.o.d made he, That he wold hunt in the mountayns Off Chyviat within days iii."

Other historical ballads are "The Rising of the North," "The Raid of the Reidswire," "Flodden Field," "Homildon Hill" and "Hedgeley Moor."

The next division may be termed semi-historical; that is, they treat of events which actually happened, but which have chiefly a local interest; and these may therefore be said to be more truly Northumbrian than any others. Such are "Jock o' the Side," "Johnnie Armstrong," "Hobbie n.o.ble"

and "The Death of Parcy Reed."

Of the third cla.s.s, the romantic ballads, we have not so rich a store; yet "The Gay Goss-hawk," the "Nut-browne Mayde" and the touchingly beautiful "Barthram's Dirge" may stand amongst the best of their kind.

"The Gay Gross-hawk" is one of those delightful and imaginative productions of which there are so many examples, in which birds and hounds share their lords' and ladies' secrets, and serve them staunchly in hours of peril; they belong to the times when fairies were still seen holding their moonlight revels, when witches exercised their baleful arts, and fearsome dragons wore still to be met and conquered--"and if you do not believe it," said Dr. Spence Watson, "I am sorry for you!"

The "Nut-browne Mayde" is supposed to have been a Lady Margaret Percy, who lived in the reign of Henry VIII.; and the lover to whom she was so faithful, notwithstanding his trial of her love by declaring that he was an outlaw, and "must to the greenwood go, alone, a banished man," was Henry Clifford, son of the Earl of Westmoreland. The inordinate length of this ballad forbade its inclusion in the present selection; I am sensible that that selection may appear somewhat meagre, but only want of s.p.a.ce has prevented the inclusion of others that many of my readers would doubtless have been glad to see.

Of songs in dialect, Joe Wilson's "Aw wish yor Muthor wad c.u.m!" stands easily first; and the other, "Sair feyl'd, hinny!" is given as an example of the Northumbrian muse in another mood.

In conclusion, let me say that of the modern verse every example is from the pen of a Northumbrian.

CHEVY CHASE I.

It fell about the Lammas tide, When muir-men win their hay, The doughty Douglas bound him to ride Into England to drive a prey.

He chose the Gordons and the Graemes, With them the Lindsays, light and gay; But the Jardines would not with them ride, And they rue it to this day.

And he has burned the dales o' Tyne, And part o' Bamburghs.h.i.+re; And three good towers on Reidswire fells He left them all on fire.

And he marched up to New Castel, And rode it round about; "O wha's the lord of this castel?

Or wha's the lady o't?"

And up spake proud Lord Percy then, And O! but he spake hie!

"O I'm the lord of this castel, My wife's the lady gay."

"If thou art the lord of this castel, Sae weel it pleases me!

For ere I cross the Border fells, The tane of us sall die."

He took a lang spere in his hand Shod wi' the metal free, And for to meet the Douglas there He rode right furiouslie!

But oh! how pale his lady looked Frae off the castle wa', When down before the Scottish speare She saw proud Percy fa'!

"Had we twa been upon the green, And never an eye to see, I wad hae had you, flesh and fell, But your sword shall gae wi' me."

"But gae ye up to Otterbourne And wait there dayis three, And if I come not ere three dayis end, A fause knight ca' ye me."

"The Otterbourne's a bonnie burn, 'Tis pleasant there to be; But there is naught 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 feed my men and me.

"Yet I will stay at Otterbourne Where you sall welcome be; And if ye come not at three dayis end A fause lord I'll call thee."

"Thither will I come," proud Percy said, "By the might of Our Ladye!"

"Thither 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.