> June Tabor > Songs > The Battle of Otterburn

The Battle of Otterburn

[ Roud 3293 / Song Subject MAS1512 ; Child 161 ; Ballad Index C161 ; DT OTTRBURN ; Mudcat 43181 ; trad.]

J. Collingwood Bruce, John Stokoe: Northumbrian Minstrelsy David Herd: Ancient and Modern Scottish Songs, Heroic Ballads, etc., First Volume James Tinsel: The Oxford Book of Ballads Sir Walter Scott: Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border

Max Dunbar sang The Battle of Otterbourne in 1959 on his Folkways album Songs and Ballads of the Scottish Wars 1290-1745. He noted:

This is the Scottish version of Chevy Chase, and represents with other songs of the series, the border raid era of the history, although the scale of the engagement was considerable. Sir Walter Scott writes: “James, Earl of Douglas, with his brother the Earl of Murray, invaded Northumberland at the head of 3000 men, while the Earle of Fife and Strathern, sons of the King of Scotland, ravaged the Western Borders of England, with a still more numerous army. Douglas penetrated as far as Newcastle, where the renowned Hotspur (Percy) lay in garrison.” The rest is told in the ballad itself. The battle was won by the Scots, but Douglas himself was killed, thus realising the prophecy that “a dead man shall gain a field”. The ballad is sung here in a shortened version, but the whole poem is printed.

This battle was fought by moonlight, on 15 August 1388. The account in the ballad does not agree, in detail, with the historical record, but the significance and the result are the same.

Tony Cuffe sang Otterburn in 1998 on his solo album When First I Went to Caledonia. He noted:

When the Scottish barons planned a full-scale invasion of England in 1388, they mustered an army of 40,000 fighting men and 1200 lances. Rumours of a counter-raid by Percy, Earl of Northumberland, led them to split their forces, sending the main body to Carlisle and the north-west of England and a much smaller force of 2000 archers and 400 men-at-arms to Newcastle and the north-east, under the command of James, Earl Douglas.

It was this army which met Percy’s forces at Otterburn, 32 miles from Newcastle. The Scots, surprised in their sleep, fell back on prepared defences and managed to outflank the much larger English army, wearied after their long march.

Sheer weight of numbers began to tell on the Scots, however, until Douglas stormed single-handed into the midst of the enemy, thus encouraging his men and turning the tide of the battle. He was cut down in the attempt but told his nephew, Sir Hugh Montgomery, to rally the troops and ordered his body to be hidden, so that his men might not be demoralised.

The Scots finally routed the English army and Sir Ralph Percy, son of the Earl, was captured. The battle was fought in moonlight on 19 August 1388.

Graham Pirt sang The Battle of Otterburn in 1998 on the Fellside CD Fyre and Sworde: Songs of the Border Reivers. Paul Adams noted:

Although essential an English versus Scottish battle from 1388, it was fought in the Borders and the main protagonists came from prominent Border families, Douglas and Percy. It has a place in our collection because it was very much Border ‘inspired’ and takes account of the fact that the border was between countries not always at peace with each other. The Earls of March and Douglas, leading landowners in the Borders urged the Scottish king to renew the Anglo-Scottish War to take advantage of political uncertaincy in England. A truce had been drawn up in 1370 for fourteen years and its expiry saw skirmishing along the Border, much of it instigated by March and Douglas. The English retaliated, another truce was drawn up, but with political instability at both the Scottish and English courts attention increasingly focused on James, second Earl of Douglas and Henry Percy, first Earl of Northumberland. There were raids into Cumberland and Northumberland and eventually all lines were drawn for the Battle of Otterburn.
This song is essentially an English version of Chevy Case (Child #162).

Five years later, in 2003, June Tabor recorded The Battle of Otterburn for her own Border ballads album, An Echo of Hooves. She noted:

The Battle of Otterburn was fought on 19 August 1388. The ballad follows quite closely Froissart’s contemporary account of this episode in the Hundred Years War. Scottish casualties are believed to have been around 100 killed, 200 captured, while the English lost around 1800 killed, 1000 wounded and 1000 taken prisoner. Earl Douglas was in fact buried at Melrose. Percy’s pennon was never found.

Andrew Calhoun sang The Battle of Otterburn on his 2016 album of ballads of the Anglo-Scottish border, Rhymer’s Tower. He noted:

The Battle of Otterburn was fought in August 1388: the Scots prevail in a medieval battle. Collated from a Scots folk version, a version in Middle English, and the eyewitness account of Jean Froissard, French war chronicler.
Tune from C.K. Sharpe manuscript

Steve Byrne sang The Battle of Otterbourne on the 2019 album Scott’s Sangs that revisited the ballads of Walter Scott’s Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border. Emily Lyle noted:

The Battle of Otterburn, in Northumberland, took place in August 1388, and the ballad details the story of the conflict between prominent families in the England-Scotland borderlands at the time. Scott describes his ballad as a Scottish composition, while he considered the ballad published with the title Chevy Chase (Child 162) by Bishop Percy in Reliques of English Poetry (1765) as the English version. In order to justify his perspective, Scott elaborated in his introduction and notes on the complex history of the families, the battle and the song itself.

The Battle of Otterbourne was first published in 1802, but the revised 1803 text is mainly used here for it incorporates stanzas from oral tradition. The melody adopted here is a faster version of Derwentwater’s Farewell, a 17^th-century tune, of which echoes appear in the notation of the ballad tune given in the 1833 edition of the Minstrelsy, published the year after Scott’s death. In James Oswald’s 1781 Collection of Scottish Airs, he gives the Derwentwater tune as being the melody for the ballad Chevy Chase. The late Tony Cuffe of the folk group Ossian recorded a version of Otterburn to this tune on his 1988 album, When First I Went to Caledonia.

Lyrics

The Battle of Otterbourne

It fell about the Lammas tide,
When the 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 wald not with him ride,
And they rue it to this day.

And he has burn’d the dales of Tyne,
And part of Bambrough shire;
And three good towers on Reidswire fells,
He left them all on fire.

And he marched up to Newcastle,
And rode it round about;
“O wha’s the lord of this castle,
O wha’s the lady o’t?”

But up spake proud Percy then,
And O but he spake hie!
“I am the lord of this castle,
My wife’s the lady gay.”

“If thou’rt the lord of this castle,
Sae weel it please me!
For ere I cross the Border fells,
The tane of us shall die.”

He took a lane spear in his hand,
Shod with the metal free,
And for to meet the Douglas there,
He rode right furiouslie.

But O how pale his lady look’d,
Frae off the castle wa’,
When down before the Scottish spear
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 sall 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 bonny burn;
’Tis pleasant there to be;
But there is nought at Otterbourne
To feed my men and me.”

“The deer rins wild on hill and dale,
The birds fly wild from tree to tree;
But there is neither bread no kale,
To fend my men and me.”

“Yet I will stay at Otterbourne,
Where you shall welcome be;
And, if ye come not at three dayis end,
A fause knight I’ll ca’ thee.”

“Thither will I come”, proud Percy said,
“By the might of our Ladye!”
“There 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.

And he that had a bonnie boy,
Sent out his horse to grass;
And he that had not a bonnie boy,
His ain servant he was.

But up then spake a little page,
Before the peep of dawn –
“O waken ye, waken ye, my good lord,
For Percy’s hard at hand.”

“Ye lie, ye lie, ye liar loud!
Sae loud I hear ye lie:
For Percy had not men yestereen
To fight my men and me.

“But I have dreamed a dreary dream,
Beyond the Isle of Skye;
I saw a dead man win a fight,
And I think that man was I.”

He belted on his guid braid sword,
And to the field he ran;
But he forgot the helmet good
That should have kept his brain.

When Percy wi’ the Douglas met,
I wat he was fu’ fain!
They swakked their swords, till sair they swat,
And the blood ran down like rain.

But Percy with his good broad sword
That could so sharply wound,
Has wounded Douglas on the brow,
Till he fell to the ground.

Then he call’d his little foot-page,
And said – “Run speedilie,
And fetch my ain dear sister’s son,
Sir Hugh Montgomery.”

“My nephew good”, the Douglas said,
“What recks the death of ane!
Last night I dream’d a dreary dream,
And I ken the day’s they ain.

“My wound is deep, I fain would sleep’
Yake thou the vanguard of the three,
And hide me by the braken bush,
That grows on yonder lilye lee.

“O bury by the braken bush,
Beneath the blooming brier,
Let never living mortal ken,
That ere a kindly Scot lies here.”

He lifted up that noble Lord,
Wi’ the saut tear in his ee;
He hid him in the braken bush,
That his merrie men might not see.

The moon was clear, the day drew near ,
The spears in flinders flew,
But mony a gallant Englishman
Ere day the Scotsmen slew.

The Gordons good, in English blood,
They steep’d their hose and shoon;
The Lindsays flew like fire about,
Till all the fray was done.

The Percy and Montgomery met,
That either of other were fain;
They swapped swords, and they twa swat,
And aye the blood ran down between.

“Noe yield thee, yield thee, Percy”, he said,
“Or else I vow I’ll lay thee low!”
“To whom must I yield,” quoth Earl Percy,
“Now that I see it must be so?”

“Thou shalt not yield to lord nor loun,
Nor yet shalt thou yield to me;
But yield thee to the braken bush,
That grown upon yon lilye lee!”

“I will not yield to a bro.ken bush,
Nor yet will I yield to a brier;
But I would yield to Earl Douglas,
Or Sir Hugh Montgomery, if he were here.”

As soon as he knew it was Montgomery,
He struck his sword’s point in the gronde;
The Montgomery was a courteous knight,
And quickly took him by the honde.

This deed was done at the Otterbourne,
About the breaking of the day;
Earl Douglas was buried at the braken bush,
And the Percy led captive away.

Tony Cuffe sings The Battle of Otterburn

It fell aboot the Lammas-tide, when muir men win their hay
The doughty Douglas bound him ride, to England to catch a pres
He’s ta’en the Gordons and the Graemes, and the Lindsays light and gay
But the Jardines would not wi’ him ride, they rue it tae this day.

And he has burnt the dales o’ Tyne and hairried Bambroughshire
The Otterdale he’s burnt it hale, and set it a’ on fire
And he’s rade up to Newcastle, and rode it roond aboot
Sayin “Wha’s the laird o’ this castle, and wha’s the lady o’t?”

Then up spake proud Lord Percy then and o but he spak high
“I am the lord o’ this castle, my wife’s the lady gay”
“If thou’rt the lord o’ this castle, sae weel it pleases me
Fore e’err I cross the border fells, the tane us shall die!”

Ther lichted high on Otterburn, upon the bent sae broon
They lichted high on Otterburn, and threw their broadswords doon
But up there spoke a bonny boy before the break o’ dawn
Sayin’ “Wake ye now, my good lords a’, Lord Percy’s near at hand”

When Percy wi’ the Douglas met, I wat he was fu’ fain
They swappit swords and sair they swat, the blood ran doon between
But Percy wi’ his good broadsword that could sae sharply wound
Has wounded Douglas on the brow, till he fell tae the ground

“O, bury me neath the bracken bush that grow by yonder brier
Let never a living mortal ken that Douglas he lies here”
They’ve lifted up that noble lord, wi’ the salt tear in their e’e
They’ve buried him neath the bracken bush that his merry men might not see

When Percy wi’ Montgomery met, that either of other were fain
They swappit swords and sair they swat, the blood ran doon like rain
This deed was done at Otterburn before the break of day
Earl Douglas was buried at the bracken bush, and Percy led captive away

June Tabor sings The Battle of Otterburn

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

And he has burned the dales of Tyne,
And part of Bamburghshire,
And three good towers on Reidswire Fells,
He left them all on fire.

Then he’s marched on down to Newcastle,
“Whose house is this so fine?”
It’s up spoke proud Lord Percy,
“I tell you this castle is mine!”

“If you’re the lord of this fine castle,
Well it pleases me.
For, ere I crossed the Border fells,
The one of us shall die.”

Then Percy took a long, long spear,
Shod with metal free,
And for to meet the Douglas there
He rode right furiously.

How pale, how pale his lady looked
From the castle wall,
When down before the Scottish spear
She saw proud Percy fall.

“Had we two been upon the green,
No other eye to see,
I would have had you, flesh and fell;
Now your pennon shall go with me!”

Now I’ll go up to Otterburn,
There I’ll wait for thee.
If you not come ere three days end
A false knight I’ll call thee.”

“Oh it’s I will come,” proud Percy said,
“I swear by our Lady.”
Then there I’ll wait,” says Douglas,
“My troth I plight to thee.”

They’ve ridden high on Otterburn,
Upon the bent so brown;
They’ve lighted high on Otterburn,
And threw their pallions down.

The day being done and the night come on,
A clear moon o’er the land,
“Awake, awake my lord!
For Percy is hard at hand.”

“You lie, you lie, you little page!
Loud I hear you lie!
For Percy had not men yestreen
To dight my men and me.

But I have dreamed a dreadful dream,
Beyond the Isle of Skye;
I saw a dead man win a fight,
And I think that man was I.”

He’s belted on his good broad sword
And to the field he ran,
But he forgot the helmet good
That should have kept his brain.

They hacked their swords ’til the sweat did flow,
Blood ran down like rain.
And Percy wounded Douglas on the brow
And he fell never more to rise again.

He’s called to him the Lord Montgomery,
“What recks the death on one?
Last night I dreamed a dreadful dream
And I know that this day is your own.

Oh bury me by the bracken bush,
’Neath the briar tree,
Oh hide me by the bracken bush
That my merry men might not see.”

The moon was clear, the day drew near,
The spears in flinders flew,
Many’s the bold Englishman
Ere day these Scotsmen slew.

The Percy and Montgomery met,
The blood so free did flow,
“Now yield thee, Percy,” he says,
“Or else I’ll lay you low.

You shall not yield to lord nor loun,
Nor shall you yield to me,
But yield unto the bracken bush
That grows by yonder briar tree.”

“I will not yield to a bracken bush,
Nor to a briar tree,
But I would yield to Earl Douglas,
Or else to Lord Montgomery.”

This deed was done at the Otterburn,
At the break of day.
The buried Douglas by the bracken bush
And led Percy a captive away.

Andrew Calhoun sings The Battle of Otterburn

It fell about first harvest time,
When husbandmen bring in their hay,
Earl Douglas rode to the English woods,
in vengeance bound to fetch a prey.

He has chosen the Earl of March,
With the gallant Murrays for the fray,
The loyal Dunbars and the Earl of Fife,
And Sir Hugh Montgomery upon a grey.

Over Hoppertop Hill they rode,
And followed on by Rodcliff crag,
Upon Green Lynton they lighted down,
And put to flight there many a stag.

They have harried Northumberland,
And so have they the Bambrough shire,
And the Otter Dale, they have burnt it hale,
And set the fields all into fire.

They lighted high on Otterburn,
Upon the grassy slope so brown;
They sent their horses out to graze,
And put their tents up and pallets down.

At night there came a bonny boy,
That served one of Earl Douglas’ kin;
“Methinks I see an English force,
A-coming on to hem us in.”

“Was I not yesterday at the New Castell,
That stands so fair upon theTyne?
For all the men that Percy had,
He’s only one to ten of mine.”

Earl Douglas belted on his good broad sword,
And called his captains to the fray,
The English host came marching forth,
With seven standards in array.

By the light of the harvest moon,
With trumpet blasts and groans of pain,
The men of arms began to join,
And many a gallant man was slain.

When Douglas with Sir Percy met,
They swacked their swords of fine collaine,
They traded blows with might and main,
Till sweat and blood ran like the rain.

“Yield ye to me,” bold Douglas said,
“For I see thou art some gentle knight,
“I’ll never yield,” the noble Percy said,
“Not while I yet may stand and fight.”

Then Percy drove with all his strength,
And so he gave a grievous wound;
He smote Earl Douglas at the sword’s length
Till he lay gasping on the ground.

Earl Douglas called on his little foot-page,
And bid him, “Run speedily,
And fetch my own dear sister’s son,
I mean Sir Hugh Montgomery.”

Earl Douglas to Montgomery said,
“Take thou the vanguard now for me,
And lay me under yon bracken-bush,
That neither friend nor foe may see.

“For I dreamed a dead man shall win the field,
I hope in God it shall be I!
Up with my banner, Cry ‘Douglas!’ then,
Avenge me now, and win the day.”

There was no man on either side
But held his ground while he could stand,
Each one hewing on foes while he might,
A baleful blade at every hand.

Then Percy and Montgomery met,
And swapped their swords so long and sharp,
Fast on his head Montgomery beat,
Till Percy’s helmet came apart.

“Yield, now,” Montgomery cried,
“Or else I vow I’ll lay thee low.”
“Whom to shall I yield,” the noble Percy said,
“Now that I see it must be so?”

“O yield thee to yon bracken-bush,
That grows upon yon lily lea;
For there lies beneath yon bracken-bush,
What oft has conquered more than thee.”

The battle won at Otterburn,
Between the night’s end and the day,
They bore Douglas’ corpse from the bracken bush,
And Percy captive was led away.