  Source.—Record Office (State Papers, Domestic, 1566-1579, Addenda, p. 111). A. Proclamation by Thomas Earl of Northumberland and Charles Earl of Westmoreland, the Queen’s true and Faithful Subjects, to all the same of the old and Catholic Faith. Know ye, that we, with many other well-disposed of the nobility and others, have promised our faith for the furtherance of this our good meaning. As divers ill-disposed persons about Her Majesty have, by their crafty dealing, overthrown in this realm the true and Catholic religion towards God, Staindrop, B. Another Proclamation by the same. Source.—Dodd’s Church History of England. Edited by M. A. Tierney, 1840. Vol. iii., App. i. Whereas it hath been, by the sinister and wicked reports of sundry malicious persons, enemies both to God’s word and the public estate of this commonwealth, devised and published, that the assembly of these noblemen, the earls of Northumberland and Westmoreland, with sundry of the greatest worship and credit in this part of the realm, is and hath been to the overthrow of the commonwealth and the crown, it was therefore thought good to [sic] the earls and their council, to signify to all and every the queen’s majesty’s subjects the true and sincere meaning of the said earls, their friends and allies. Know ye, therefore, that where of late it hath been faithfully and deliberately considered and devised by the right high and mighty prince, Thomas, Duke of Norfolk, Henry earl of Arundel, William, earl of Pembroke, together with the said earls of Northumberland and Westmoreland, and divers others of the ancient nobility of this realm, with a common consent of sundry the principal favourers of God’s word (and the same as well for the avoiding of bloodshed and utter subversion of the commonwealth, as the reforming of certain disorders crept in by the abuse and malicious practices We have therefore, of just and faithful meaning to the queen’s majesty, her commonwealth, and the true successors of the same, God save the queen and the nobility. C. Proclamation by Thomas Earl of Sussex, Lord-Lieutenant in the North, in answer to the preceding. Source.—State Papers, Domestic, as above, p. 113. Whereas Thomas Earl of Northumberland and Charles Earl of Westmoreland, being commanded upon their allegiance to repair to Her Majesty, have contemptuously disobeyed her And we in Her Majesty’s name, do command all faithful subjects to flee from the company or aiding of rebellious persons, and do by these presents receive to her grace and free pardon all such persons, other than hereafter be exempted, as have accompanied the said Earls and others, if before the 22nd inst. they repair to their dwelling houses, and there remain quiet, and do not abide in company of the said persons aforesaid after 21 Nov. Her Majesty’s pleasure is that the said Earls and the others named, and Thos. Jennings, be exempted from this pardon, and also any person adhering to or accompanying any of the before exempted after 21 Nov., and she commands all her subjects to repute them rebels. [York], 19 Nov., 1569. D. Border-Ballad of the Rising in the North (1569-70). Source.—Percy’s Folio MS. Ed. by Furnivall and Hales. Vol. i., p. 210. Pub. 1867. Listen lively lordings all, and all that beene this place within! if you’ll give eare unto my songe, I will tell you how this geere did begin. It was the good Erle of Westmorlande; a noble Erle was callÈd hee; and he wrought treason against the crowne; alas, it was the more pittye! And soe it was the Erle of Northumberland, another good noble Erle was hee; they tooken both upon one part, against their crowne they wolden bee. Earle Percy is into his garden gone, and after walks his awne ladye; “I heare a bird sing in my eare that I must either fight or flee.” “God forbid,” shee sayd, “good my Lord, that ever so that it shalbee, but goe to London to the court, and faire fall truth and honestye!” “But nay, now nay, my Ladye gay, that ever it shold soe bee; my treason is knowen well enoughe; at the court I must not bee.” “But goe to the Court! yet, good my Lord, take men enowe with thee; if any man will doe you wronge, your warrant they may bee.” “But nay, now nay, my Lady gay, for soe it must not bee, if I goe to the court, Ladye, death will strike me, and I must dye.” “But goe to the Court! yett, good my Lord, I my-selfe will ryde with thee; if any man will doe you wronge, your borow “But nay, now nay, my Lady gay, for soe it must not bee; for if I goe to the Court, Ladye, thou must me never see. But come hither, thou litle footpage, come thou hither unto mee, for thou shalt goe a message to Master Norton in all the hast that ever may bee. Comend me to that gentleman; bring him here this letter from mee, and say I pray him earnestlye that he will ryde in my companye.” But one while the foote page went, another while he rann; untill he came to Master Norton, the foot page never blanne. And when he came to Master Norton, he kneled on his knee, And tooke the letter betwixt his hands, and lett the gentleman it see. And when the letter it was reade afore all his companye, I-wis, if you wold know the truth, there was many a weeping eye. He said, “Come hither, Kester a fine fellow thou seemes to bee; Some good councell, Kester Norton, this day doe thou give to mee.” “Marry, I’ll give you councell, father, if you’ll councell take at mee, that if you have spoken the word, father, that backe againe you doe not flee.” “God amercy, Christopher Norton, I say, God amercy! if I doe live and scape with life, well avancÈd shalt thou bee. But come you hither, my nine good sonnes, in men’s estate I thinke you bee; how many of you, my children deare, on my part that wilbe?” But eight of them did answer soone, and spake full hastilye, sayes, “We wilbe on your part, father, till the day that we doe dye.” “But God amercy, my children deare, and ever I say God amercy! and yet my blessing you shall have, whethersoever I live or dye. But what sayst thou, thou Francis Norton, mine eldest sonne and mine heyre trulye? some good councell, Francis Norton, this day thou give to me.” “But I will give you councell, father, if you will take councell at mee; for if you wold take my councell, father, against the crowne you shold not bee.” “But fye upon thee, Francis Norton! I say Fye upon thee! When thou was younge and tender of age I made full much of thee.” “But your head is white, father,” he sayes, “and your beard is wonderous gray; it were shame for your countrye if you shold rise and flee away.” “But fye upon thee, thou coward Francis! thou never tookest that of mee! when thou was younge and tender of age I made too much of thee.” “But I will goe with you, father, quoth hee, like a naked man will I be; he that strikes the first stroake against the crowne, an ill death may hee dye!” But then rose up Master Norton that Esquier, with him a full great companye; and then the Erles they comen downe to ryde in his companye. Att Whethersbye they mustered their men upon a full fayre day; thirteen thousand there were seene to stand in battel ray. The Erle of Westmoreland, he had in his ancyent the Dunne Bull in sight most hye, and three doggs with golden collers were sett out royallye. The Erle of Northumberland, he had in his ancyent the Halfe Moone in sight so hye, as the Lorde was crucifyed on the Crosse, and sett forthe pleasantlye. And after them did rise good Sir George Bowes, after them a spoyle to make; the Erles returned backe againe, thought ever that Knight to take. This Baron did take a Castle was made of lime and stone; the uttermost the Erles have won them anon; But tho they won the uttermost walls quickly and anon, the innermost walls they cold not winn, they were made of a rocke of stone. But newes it came to leeve in all the speed that ever might bee; and word it came to our royall Queene of all the rebÉlls in the north countrye. She turned her grace then once about, and like a royall Queene she sware, sayes, “I will ordeine them such a breake-fast as was not in the North this thousand yeere!” She caused thirty thousand men to be made with horsse and harneis all quicklye; and shee caused thirty thousand men to be made to take the rebÉlls in the North countrye. They took with them the false Erle of Warwicke, soe did they many another man; untill they came to Yorke Castle, I wis they never stinted nor blan. “Spread thy ancyent, Erle of Westmoreland! The halfe moone faine wold we see!” But the halfe moone is fled and gone, and the Dun Bull vanished awaye; And Richard are fled away most cowardlye. Ladds with mony are counted men, Men without mony are counted none; but hold your tounges! why say you soe? Men wilbe men when mony is gone. E. London Ballad on the Rising, by William Elderton (1569-70). Source.—Original in British Museum, Huth Bequest, 50, No. 4. Reprinted in Ancient Ballads, 1867. A Ballad intituled, A newe well a daye, As playne, maister Papist, as Donstable waye. Amonge manye newes reported of late As touchinge the rebelles their wicked estate, Yet Syr Thomas Plomtrie Hath made the North Countrie to crie well a daye. Well a daye, well a daye, well a daye, woe is me, Syr Thomas Plomtrie is hanged on a tree. And now manie fathers and mothers be theare, Are put to their trialles with terrible feare, Not all the gaye crosses nor goddes they adore Will make them as merrie as they have ben before; Well a daye, etc. The widowes be woful whose husbandes be taken, The childerne lament them that are so forsaken, The church men thei chaunted the morowe masse bell, Their pardons be graunted, they hang verie wel. Well a daye, etc. It is knowne they bee fled that were the beginers, It is time they were ded, poore sorofull sinners: For all their great haste they are hedged at a staye, With weeping and waylinge to sing well a daye. Well a daye, etc. Yet some hold opynion, all is well with the highest; They are in good saftie wher freedome is nieste; Northumberland need not be doubtefull, some saye, And Westmorelande is not yet brought to the bay; Well a daye, etc. No more is not Norton, nor a nomber beside, But all in good season they may hap to be spide; It is well they be wandred whether no man can say, But it will be remembered, they crie well a daie; Well a daye, etc. Where be the fyne fellowes that caried the crosses? Where be the devisers of idoles and asses? Wher be the gaie banners were wont to be borne? Where is the devocion of gentyll John Shorne? Well a daye, etc. * * * * * Leave of your lyinge, and fall to trewe reason Leave of your fonde spieng, and marke every season; Against God and your countrie to taulke of rebelling, Not Syr Thomas Plomtrie can bide by the telling. Well a daye, etc. And such as seduce the people with blyndnes, And byd them to trust the Pope and his kyndnes, Make worke for the tynker, as prouerbes doth saie; By such popishe patching still comes well a daye. Well a daye, etc. And she that is rightfull your Queene to subdue ye, Althoughe you be spitefull, hath gyven no cause to ye; But if ye will vexe her, to trie her hole force, Let him that comes next her take heed of her horse. Well a daye, etc. She is the lieftennante of him that is stowtest, She is the defender of all the devowtest; It is not the Pope, nor all the Pope may, Can make her astonyed, or singe well a daie, Well a daye, etc. God prosper her highnes, and send her his peace, To governe good people with grace and increase; And send the deservers, that seeke the wronge way, At Tyborne some carvers, to singe well a daie, Well a daye, well a daye, well a daye, woe is me, Sir Thomas Plomtrie is hanged on a tree. Finis. W. E. Imprinted at London in Fleetstrete beneath the |
|
