+The Text+ is given mainly from the Cotton MS., Cleopatra C. iv.
(_circa_ 1550). It was printed by Percy in the fourth edition of the
_Reliques_; in the first edition he gave it from Harleian MS. 293, which
text also is made use of here. A separate Scottish ballad was popular at
least as early as 1549, and arguments to prove that it was derived from
the English ballad are as inconclusive as those which seek to prove the
opposite.
+The Story.+--The battle of Otterburn was fought on Wednesday, August
19, 1388. The whole story is given elaborately by Froissart, in his
usual lively style, but is far too long to be inserted here. It may,
however, be condensed as follows.
The great northern families of Neville and Percy being at variance owing
to the quarrels of Richard II. with his uncles, the Scots took the
advantage of preparing a raid into England. Earl Percy, hearing of this,
collected the Northumbrian powers; and, unable to withstand the force of
the Scots, determined to make a counter-raid on the east or west of the
border, according as the Scots should cross. The latter, hearing of the
plan through a spy, foiled it by dividing their army into two parts, the
main body under Archibald Douglas being directed to Carlisle. Three or
four hundred picked men-at-arms, with two thousand archers and others,
under James, Earl of Douglas, Earl of March and Dunbar, and the Earl of
Murray, were to aim at Newcastle, and burn and ravage the bishopric of
Durham. With the latter alone we are now concerned.
With his small army the Earl of Douglas passed rapidly through
Northumberland, crossed the Tyne near Brancepeth, wasted the country as
far as the gates of Durham, and returned to Newcastle as rapidly as they
had advanced. Several skirmishes took place at the barriers of the town:
and in one of these Sir Henry Percy (Hotspur) was personally opposed to
Douglas. After an obstinate struggle the Earl won the pennon of the
English leader, and boasted that he would carry it to Scotland, and set
it high on his castle of Dalkeith. 'That,' cried Hotspur, 'no Douglas
shall ever do, and ere you leave Northumberland you shall have small
cause to boast.' 'Your pennon,' answered Douglas, 'shall this night be
placed before my tent; come and win it if you can.' But the Scots were
suffered to retreat without any hostile attempts on the part of the
English, and accordingly, after destroying the tower of Ponteland, they
came on the second day to the castle of Otterburn, situated in
Redesdale, about thirty-two miles from Newcastle. The rest may be read
in the ballad.
'Of all the battayles,' says Froissart, 'that I have made mention of
here before, in all thys hystorye, great or small, thys battayle was one
of the sorest, and best foughten, without cowards or faint hertes: for
ther was nother knyght nor squyre but that dyde hys devoyre, and fought
hand to hand.'