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 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 Did march to the fiege of the cittye of Gaunte, When brave Sir John Major* was flaine in her fight, 5 She clothed herselfe from the top to the toe 10 A helmett of proofe fhe ftrait did provide, 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, My fouldiers fo valiant and faithfull, fhee fayd, 20 Then cryed out her fouldiers, and thus they did fay, 25 Thy harte and thy weapons foe well do agree, 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, 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 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 ; 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; 55 Then tooke fhee her fword and her targett in hand, 60 Now faye, English captaine, what woldeft thou give 3 Ye Ye captaines couragious, of valour fo bold, 65 No captaine of England; behold in your fight But art thou a woman, as thou dost declare, The prince of Great Parma heard of her renowne, But this virtuous mayden defpifed them all, Then to her owne country shee backe did returne, 8@ 85 XX. BRAVE |