Specimens of English literature from the 'Ploughmans crede' to the ...

400 NOTES,and the Scotch Earl of March, defeated about 10,000 Scots underthe Earl Douglas, who was taken prisoner, a.d. 1402. By comparingthe note to 1, 46, we see that the three dates thus assigned are notreconcileable ; for the battle of Homildon was fought before the firstJames began to reign, indeed, when he was but eight years old.Again,in 1. 136, we are told it was called the battle of Otterburn ; but this isimpossible, seeing that the battle of Otterburn, in which Hotspur wastaken prisoner, and Earl Douglas slain, took place in 1387 or 1388, andis celebrated in a ballad quite distinct from the present one ; added towhich, Otterboume is not over the border, being only half way betweenNewcastle and Teviotdale. Hence, it has been proposed to identify tliebattle in Chev)' Chase with the conflict at Pepperden in 1436, betweentheEarl of Noi'thumberland and Earl William Douglas, with a smallarmy of about 4000 each. In any case, we may conclude that theballad was ^mtten after all these events, and therefore later than 1436.133. Glendale; Homildon is situated within the district called GlendaleWard. It is a village one mile to the north-west of Wooler. Thespot where the battle was fought has ever since been called the Red134. That tear, &c. This is said to be a proverb, meaning ' that tearor pull brought about this kick.'136. Monnynday, Monday.138. 'There was never a time, on the Border-land, since the Douglasand Percy thus met, but it is a marvel if the red blood ran not asrain does in the street.'1 40. Bete our balys, make better or remedy our misfortunes. There isa common old English proverb, When bale ' is hext, then bote is next,'meaning When ' grief is highest (i. e. greatest), then the remedy is nearest.'It occurs among the Proverbs of Hend}Tig.141. Explicetb, miswritten for explicit, here endeth ;quoth signifies thatRichard Sheale either dictated or wrote out this copy of the poem.VIII. SIR THOMAS I^IALORY.The twenty-first book of Malory's Romance begins with describing how,during King Arthur's absence abroad, his nephew Sir Modred attemptedto make himself King of England, and to marry queen Guinevere, hisuncle's wife. Guinevere shut herself up in the Tower of London, whereModred failed to gain entrance ; but he succeeded in raising a large hostto oppose Arthur's landing on his return. Arthur effected his landing