[A composite volume : containing The ballads and songs of Ayrshire ...

an
I
THE NOBLE FAJVIILY OF MONTGOMERIE.
of Sir Hugh de Eglintoun, Knight.
This lady was connected with the
royal family—her mother, Egidia, being a sister of Robert II. John de
Montgomerie, it is said, distinguished himself greatly at the battle of Otterburne
in 1388. The circumstance, however, is so variously recorded,
\
that it is difficult to say which is the correct version. According to the
j
j
^
Montgomerie ballad, John, after the death of his father, Sir Hugh, who,
when Douglas was dead, " the battle did renew," maintained the fight,
and " brought victory and Earl Piercy's son away," Sir Hugh having pre-
] viously slain Percy himself. The ballad of the " Battle of Otterbourne,"
I
I
I
I
i
—
given in the " Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border," represents the occur-
rence differently. No mention whatever is made of John de Montgom-
erie ; and Sir Hugh—who is described as the " sister's son" of Douglas
is represented as the captor of Percy
—
" The Percy and Montgomerie met,
That either of other were fain,
They swapped swords, and they twa swat^
And aye the blude ran down between.
"
' Yield thee, O yield thee, Percy ! ' he said,
'
Or else I vow I'll lay thee low !'
* Whom too shall I yield," said Early Percy,
^ Now that I see it must be so '
I
"
' Thou shall not yield to lord nor loun,
—
Nor yet shalt thou yield to me
j 5
J
But yield thee to the braken bush,
i
That grows upon yon lilye lee !'
<
"'1 will not yield to a braken bush,
; Nor yet will I yield to a briar ;
But I would yield to Earl Douglas,
I
^
Or Sir Hugh the Montgomerie, if he were here.'
I
I
I
I
" As soon as he knew it was Montgomerie,
He stuck his sword's point in the gronde,
And the Montgomerie was a courteous knight.
And quickly took him by the honde."
< The EngUsh version, on the other hand, pointedly mentions the death of
j
Sir Hugh
j
"
.
English archer then perceived
The noble Earl was slain.
66