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The Battle of Otterburn

  • Trad - Child 161

    It fell aboot the Lammas tide when muir-men win their hay (Lammas tide - autumn term-time)
    The doughty Earl o' Douglas rade intae England to catch him a prey (doughty - strong)
    He has chosen the Lindseys light, wi' them the Gordons gay
    The Earl o' Fife without in strife and Sir Hugh Montgomery

    First he took Northumberland and pairt o' Bamburgh-shire
    Then Otterdale they burnt it hale and set it all on fire (hale - whole)
    Then he mairched up tae Newcastle, he rade it roond aboot
    Oh wha's the lord o' this castle, and wha's the lady o't

    Up then spake Lord Percy fair, and Oh but he spake hie (hie - 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
    For ere I cross the Border fells the ane o' us shall dee (ere - before)

    I will stay at Otterbourne whaur ye shall welcome be
    If come ye not in three days' time, fause lord then I'll ca' ye (fause - false)
    Oh I will come, proud Percy said, By the might o' Oor Ladye
    I'll wait ye there, Lord Douglas said, My pledge I give tae thee

    He belted on his guid braid sword and tae the field he ran (guid braid sword - good broadsword)
    But he forgot the helmet guid that should hae kept his brain
    When Percy wi' the Douglas met I wat he was fu' fain (fain - eager)
    They swakket their swords, aye sair they swat till blood ran doon like rain (swakket - swapped)

    Percy wi' his guid braid sword that could sae sharply wound
    Has cut the Douglas on the brow till he fell upon the groond
    The wound was deep, he fain would sleep right by the braken-tree
    He has laid him doon a' wounded sair beside a lilye lee (sair - dreadful)

    The moon was clear, the day drew near, the spears in flinders flew
    And mony a galliant Englishman ere day the Scotsmen slew
    The Gordons guid, in English blood they steeped their hose and shoon
    The Lindsays flew like fire aboot until the day was done

    The Percy and Montgomery met before the thorn atween
    They swapped blaws and aye, they swat till the blood ran down between (swat - sweated)
    Ye shall not yield tae lord or loun, nor shall ye yield tae me
    But yield ye tae yon braken-bush beside the lilye lee

    I will not yield tae braken-bush, nor will I tae a briar
    But I would yield tae Earl Douglas or tae Hugh Montgomery
    When he found out it was Montgomery he stuck his sword in the ground
    Sir Hugh, he was a courteous knight and took him by the hand

    For he had dreamed a dreary dream before that fateful day
    He saw a deid man win the field, a deid man doon he lay (deid - dead)
    And battle was done at Otterbourne at the breaking o' day
    Lord Douglas was buried at the braken-bush and Percy prisoner away

    1, As sung by Alex Campbell


    It fell aboot the Lammas-tide when muir men win their hay
    The doughty Douglas bound him ride tae England tae catch a prey
    He's ta'en the Gordons and the Graemes and the Lindsays light and gay
    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 rade up tae 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 oh 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
    For ere I cross the border fells the tane o' us shall dee (tane - one)

    They lichted high on Otterburn upon the bent sae broon (lichted - set down, camped; bent - grass)
    They lichted high on Otterburn and threw their broadswords doon
    But up there spoke a bonnie boy before the break o' dawn
    Sayin', Wake ye now, my good lords a', Lord Percy's near at han'

    When Percy wi' the Douglas met I wat he was fu' fain (wat - know)
    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

    Oh, bury me 'neath the bracken bush that grows by yonder brier
    Let never a living mortal ken that Douglas he lies here (ken - know)
    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

    2, as sung by Tony Cuffe


    It fell aboot the Lammas tide when the muir-men win their hay
    The doughty Douglas bound him ride into England to drive a prey
    He chose the Gordons and the Graemes, the Lindsays light and gay
    The Jardines wad not wi' him ride, they rue it to this day

    And he has burned the dales of Tyne and part o' Bambrough-shire
    Three tall towers on Reidsware fells, he left them all on fire
    He marched up to Newcastle and rade it round about
    Saying, Wha's the lord o' this castle, and wha's the lady o't

    Then up and spake proud Percy there, and Oh but he spake hie
    I am the lord o' this castle, my wife's the lady gay
    If thou art the lord o' this castle, sae weel it pleases me
    For ere I cross the Border fells the ane o' us shall dee

    He took a lang spear in his hand shod wi' the metal free
    For to meet the Douglas there he rade right furiouslie
    But Oh how pale his lady looked frae aff the castle wa'
    When doon before the Scottish spear she saw proud Percy fa'

    Repeat 1

    3, as sung by The Corries under the title The Lammas Tide

Susannes Folksong-Notizen

  • [1858:] [...] Jakob, Graf von Douglas, der in der berühmten Chevy-Chase-Ballade die Ehre höchster Tapferkeit mit dem Grafen Percy von Northumberland teilt; zwei Namen, die fortleben und einen Zauberklang für Ohr und Herz behalten werden, solange noch ein Vogel im Walde singt und die Menschen sich freuen, wenn der Frühling kommt. Die alte Ballade (von der übrigens eine sehr abweichende schottische Version existiert, die den geschichtlichen Hergang um vieles genauer wiedergibt) erzählt bekanntlich von einem Jagdzug [Percys zur Herausforderung Douglas']. Graf Douglas war nicht der Mann, auf sich warten zu lassen. Aus dem Jagdzug wurde eine Schlacht. Beide Führer fielen [...]. So das Gedicht, das man vergeblich versucht hat, mit den historischen Kämpfen jener Epoche, d.h. mit der Schlacht von Otterburn, die um dieselbe Zeit zwischen Douglas und Percy stattfand, in Einklang zu bringen. Die Ballade spricht aufs unzweideutigste von dem Tode beider Führer; der historische Percy aber, sooft er auch seinem schottischen Rivalen, dem Grafen Douglas, gegenüberstand, fiel nicht in der Schlacht von Otterburn, sondern erst 13 Jahre später bei Shrewsbury, wo er zufällig und ausnahmsweise nicht gegen einen Douglas, sondern umgekehrt an der Seite eines Douglas gegen Heinrich Monmouth kämpfte und unterlag. [...]
    Die schottischen Geschichtsschreiber berichten über die Schlacht von Otterburn wie folgt: "Jakob Graf von Douglas und sein Bruder, der Graf von Murray, fielen an der Spitze von 3000 Mann in Northumberland ein und drangen, ohne Widerstand zu finden, bis Newcastle vor, wo Graf Percy Heißsporn in Verschanzung lag. Vor den Toren der Stadt kam es zu einem persönlichen Gefecht zwischen den beiden Rivalen, in welchem der Douglas das Glück hatte, seinem Gegner das Fähnchen von der Lanzenspitze abzureißen. Er hob sich sofort hoch im Sattel empor, wies auf das Fähnchen, das er in den Händen hielt, und rief vor Freund und Feind laut über das Feld hin, daß er diese Beute nach Schottland heimtragen und auf dem Turmknauf seines Schlosses von Dalkeith befestigen wolle. Percy antwortete: 'Das sollst du nun und nimmermehr.' Im Einklang mit diesem seinem Wort suchte Percy jetzt dem heimziehenden Douglas den Rückzug abzuschneiden und überfiel in selbiger Nacht noch das schottische Lager bei Otterburn, sieben Meilen nördlich von Newcastle. Der Mond stand am Himmel, und man focht mit Mut und Verzweiflung. Endlich hoffte der Douglas, den Kampf zur Entscheidung bringen zu können, und mit einem Streitkolben bewaffnet, der so schwer war, daß wenige ihn schwingen konnten, stürmte er in den dicksten Knäuel der Engländer hinein. Nur drei Genossen waren mit ihm, sein Schloßkaplan und zwei Diener. Ehe der Rest der Schotten folgen konnte, war es um ihn geschehen; drei tiefe Wunden warfen ihn vom Pferde, neben ihm lagen die beiden Diener in ihrem Blute, und nur der Priester stand noch aufrecht und schützte seinen gefallenen Herrn vor Schimpf und Unbill. 'Ich sterbe, wie alle Douglas gestorben sind', rief Graf Jakob dem Priester zu, 'verheimliche meinen Tod; eine alte Prophezeihung sagt: dem toten Manne gehört das Feld.' So starb Douglas. Die Schotten erneuerten den Angriff und machten die alte Prophezeihung wahr, mit der ihr Führer das Zeitliche gesegnet hatte. Ralph Percy, der Bruder des Percy Heißsporn, wurde von Lord Marischal und gleich darauf Heinrich Percy selbst vom Lord Montgomery gefangengenommen. Das war am 15. August 1388. (Fontane, Die Reise nach Schottland 291ff)

    [1880:] There is some dispute as to whether the Battle of Otterbourne and the Hunting of the Cheviot record the same or different events. The first-mentioned ballad is a veracious account of a historical event which took place in 1388, during the reign of Richard II of England, and it was probably written and became popular shortly after the battle had been fought. The second ballad [...] seems as if it had been founded on the same event; but there is some evidence to show that it may also have referred to another engagement which took place at Kipperden, near the Cheviot Hills, fifty-four years later. [...]
    The battle of Otterburne [sic] was an incident in the invasion of England by the Earl of Fife later Robert, Duke of Albany , the second son of the king [Robert II], who, after harrying the western borders of England, sent [James, 2nd] Earl of Douglas with three or four thousand men to lay waste the Bishopric of Durham. This Lord Douglas accomplished with too great success, and returning he passed before the gates of Newcastle, which Sir Harry Percy ['Hotspur', son of the Earl of Northumberland] held. The latter had not sufficient force at his command to encounter Douglas on fairly equal terms; but he could not bear the insults of his enemy, and sallied out to break a lance with him. Hotspur was so unfortunate as to loose [sic] his spear and pennon [Wimpel], and Douglas swore that he would hang them on the highest tower of his castle unless it should be retaken by the owner before night. This challenge Hotspur was unable at the moment to accept, being afraid that Douglas would effect a junction with the main body of the Scottish army, but when he found that the Scottish contingent were protracting their retreat, he went after them on the second day with an army of 8000 men which he had hastily collected.
    This army came up with Douglas at the village of Otterbourne, 30 miles from Newcastle, on the evening of the 15th of August, fatigued with its long march. Percy at once fell upon the Scots, and as his force was nearly double that of his enemy, he was probably certain of an easy victory. But his men were far from being in good fighting trim, and the Scots fought with great bravery. Victory seemed, however, almost to be in his grasp, when, according to the picturesque account of Sir Walter Scott, "the Scottish leader, as the last means of reanimating his followers, rushed on the advancing enemy with heroic daring, and cleared a way with his battle axe into the middle of their ranks. All but alone and unsupported, Douglas was overpowered by numbers and sunk beneath three mortal wounds. The Scots, encouraged by the furious charge of their chieftain, and ignorant of his fate, renewed the struggle with Ralph Percy (the brother of Hotspur) who was made prisoner by the Earl Mareschal, and soon after Hotspur himself by Lord Montgomery." The Scots remained on the field.
    The old ballad printed in Percy's Reliques was taken from a manuscript in the Cotton Library, and supposed from the handwriting to have been written in the middle of the sixteenth century. A copy, though not so complete, is also in the Harleian collection. The author is unknown, but the collectors guess, from the use of certain Scottish words, that he may have been a Scotchman, though the original must have been touched up by an Englishman. The inference would be just as fair if it were reversed. As the spelling of the old ballad is very uncouth, I will [...] pass on to the more modern version in the minstrelsy of the Scottish Border. In the older version Percy informs Douglas that he will be well lodged at Otterbourne and have plenty of sport, and he very courteously handed over the walls a pipe of wine (there is no mention of the lance-breaking encounter), and [...] we find no mention either of the dream or of Douglas's want of the helmet. It evidently follows the incidents of the battle more closely. Nor is there anything about the braken bush or the burial of Douglas, or of how Percy was captured, though the fact is mentioned, and also that he was "borrowed" by Lord Montgomery, or, in other words, was exchanged for him. (Ord, Glasgow Weekly Herald, Mar 6)

    [1912:] In Professor Hale's paper on Chevy-Chase the history of the Battle of Otterbourne is fully described. It is an incident in the "raid" into English territory which was undertaken "in revenge of the invasion of Scotland by Richard II. in 1387". The small division under the command of Douglas, with which we are concerned, marched over the Cheviots, pillaged Durham, and re-crossing the Tyne, halted before Newcastle. "And then it was, after some skirmishing, that, according to the ballad, Douglas made a tryst to meet Percy at Otterbourne." This Percy is Shakespeare's Hotspur. The longer and less poetical English version, printed by Bp. Percy, describes the whole battle with greater detail, but throws less fire into the personal contest. (Johnson, Ballads xiv)

    [1977:] Known in England as Chevy Chace, it was first published in 'The Complaynt of Scotland' 1548 under the title of The Persee and Montgomery met, that day that gentil day. The battle took place on the 19th August, 1388 between the Scots led by [the 2nd Earl of] Douglas and the English led by Percy. As usual, the Scots were outnumbered and looked to be losing the day until Douglas himself led an assault on the English centre. This turned the tide of the battle in favour of the Scots but at the price of Douglas slain. Thus was fulfilled a family legend that a dead Douglas would win the field. Henry and Ralph Percy were killed and Sir Henry Percy taken prisoner by Sir Hugh Montgomery. (Notes Alex Campbell, 'Traditional Ballads of Scotland')

    [1986:] A [...] resounding event which became famous in Border song and story was the Battle of Otterburn, fought on 19 August 1388; this affray had the honour of being described in vivid French prose by Froissart, and in heroic songs by English and Scottish ballad makers; the best known of these - by name at least - is Chevy Chase (Child 162). There were two distinct ballads about the battle, and the other, The Battle of Otterburn (Child 161), is generally regarded as the older. It is certainly the one which spawned the variants collected in the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries which put the Scots - as opposed to the English - point of view. It is also the one which modern Revival singers have put back into 'folk' currency in recent years:
    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
    This is strong poetry, and there is nothing in the other rather laboured ballad to match it. (Henderson, Alias MacAlias 85)

    [1988:] 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 the 19th of August, 1388. (Notes Tony Cuffe, 'When First I Went To Caledonia')

    [1990:] The Border between England and Scotland was for centuries a cause of strife, and even after the line [...] had been agreed between Henry III of England and Alexander I of Scotland in the early fourteenth century the lands either side continued to be disputed territory. The two royal powers attempted to keep peace in the Border counties by appointing Wardens, two or three on each side [...], who were supposed to work together, with regular international meetings. The two sovereigns were dependent, however, upon the powerful noble families in the area to provide the Wardens, and family feuds sometimes preventend peaceful co-operation. In spite of the Wardens, from time to time the Border areas became troubled by raids [...], especially when there was political unrest in one country which gave the other the chance to cause trouble.
    Such was the case in 1388, when the Scots, aware of political instability in England, where Richard II was king, took the opportunity to send two raiding parties over the Border. The larger went to the western marches, while the smaller, under James Douglas, got as far south as Durham, then turned north again, stopped briefly for a skirmish before the gates of Newcastle, and withdrew northward to Otterburn. [...] A steeply sloping field just west of the village, beside the modern road to Carter Bar and Jedburgh, is the traditional site for the battle.
    The battle itself was not of great importance politically; it changed nothing in the relationships between the two countries, and fourteen years later the same Harry Percy fought a return match at Homildon Hill on the other main central route across the Border, this time defeating James Douglas's cousin Archibald. One reason why Otterburn became famous was that it was recorded by the contemporary French historian, Froissart, whose work was frequently read and relied upon in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, especially after his history was translated into English by Lord Berners in the reign of Henry VIII. A major reason why this battle was long remembered among all classes in both countries was because it was also recorded in song. [...] Child found four related ballads which mention a battle between Percy and Douglas, and published them in two groups of two, The Battle of Otterburn (Child 161) and The Hunting of the Cheviot (Child 162).[...]
    For much of the distance the Border follows the top of the Cheviot hills. There are many routes across the Border, even over the Cheviots. The main central route in medieval times followed the Roman Dere Street and the modern road by Carter Bar runs close to this near the village of Otterburn. The traditional site of the battle lies north of the River Rede between the Roman road and the village. The site is now marked by a late eighteenth century monument, which replaced the original 'battle stone'. This, usually a large boulder, was the traditional way of marking a battle ground [...]. This route by the eastern edge of the Cheviots opens into the area dominated by the Percy strongholds of Bamburgh, Alnwick and Warkworth [...]. Since there were [in this area] four battles worthy of a 'battle stone' it is remarkable that only Otterburn seems to have been remembered in song. [...]
    For Jean Froissart, historian of the wars of fourteenth century Europe, and advocate for the chivalric ideal, events of 1388 were contemporary. He had indeed, at an earlier time, travelled in the Borders, and had met James Douglas, then a boy. As a dedicated historian, Froissart sought the truth of what happened at Otterburn, and he quotes evidence from four men who had been at the battle. Froissart records that in 1388, Douglas and his men formed one of two chevauche'es which entered England to harry the country. Douglas's party rode south, crossing the Tyne west of Newcastle, and burned villages between the Tyne and Durham. The smoke could be seen from Newcastle, and Percy was sent for to defend that city. On their return northwards, the Scots took part in a skirmish outside Newcastle, [...] "and by force of arms the earl Douglas won the pennon of sir Henry Percy's, wherewith he was sore displeased." Percy was especially upset at the loss of the pennon, because it touched his honour, and he openly defied Douglas to carry the pennon out of England.
    [...] Here is in sharp contrast war as experienced by the ordinary people whose homes were burnt, and war between knights, who spoke to each other across national boundaries, and for whom war was a matter of honour, and in which defeat often meant ransom. The fighting outside Newcastle was only a scrimmage escarmuche, and what Froissart emphasised were the expert feats of arms, appertises d'armes.
    Dissuaded from rushing out to attack Douglas that very night, Percy waited inside Newcastle. Douglas withdrew, returning northwards, attacking Ponteland en route, and reaching Otterburn, where he encamped. Douglas stayed there, seeking double honour by attacking Otterburn castle and waiting to allow Percy time to come after the pennon, which he intended to prevent Percy getting.
    On learning where Douglas was Percy set off for Otterburn without waiting for reinforcements from Durham. There he arrived as the Scots were preparing to rest after spending the day attacking the castle. Although surprised by Percy, the Scots had time to arm, and to follow Douglas's strategy of attacking from behind a rise in the ground. Thus commenced a real battle, la bataille felle et furieuse. [Percy] nearly got his pennon back, for the English fought so hard they 'reculed' the Scots, but two Scots knights defended the pennon [...] valiantly [...]. In the battle Douglas was killed, but his death was not announced. Sir Hugh Montgomery attacked and defeated Henry Percy, and took him prisoner.
    "This battle was fierce and cruel till it came to the end of the discomfiture; but when the Scots saw the Englishmen recule and yield themselves, then the Scots were courteous and set them to their ransom, and every man said to his prisoner: 'Sirs, go and unarm you and take your ease; I am your master': and so made their prisoners as good cheer as though they had been brethren, without doing them any damage."
    This is indeed chivalrous behaviour between the knights of both nations. It is in stark contrast to the fierceness of the battle which left numbers of young men to be buried beside the church at Elsdon, the next village. [...]
    For the ballad [...] there is inevitably a long gap between the date of the event itself, 1388, and the first copies of the texts. The earliest hint that we have comes from 'The Complaynt of Scotland', a prose work published in 1549. This was presented to Mary, Queen of Scots, and contains a list of the titles of pastimes of the shepherds, the common people of Scotland. [Thus] it seems possible that this ballad was already current by 1549. However, in contrast to the other three ballads associated with Otterburn, which are all known from English manuscript sources before about 1650, the text was first recorded in 1776. This was Herd's version, B; the fullest text, C, was published [...] in the second edition of Scott's 'Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border' in 1833. Of this ballad Scott said that it was an earlier version he had found thirty years before and that it had been completed by two copies 'obtained from the recitation of old persons residing at the head of Ettrick Forest by which the story is brought out and completed in a manner much more correspondent with the true history.' Since Herd's version has the first three introductory stanzas about Douglas's raid into Northumberland, and then moves in stanza 4 to Douglas's death it is clear that much of the story has been lost. Scott is therefore giving the most complete version available to him from oral tradition of the Borders [...]
    Since Froissart's account of the battle had been published long before in French, and had been translated into English [...], the question of whether either of the Otterburn (Child 161) ballads took material from Froissart must be considered. Naturally, there are many similarities. All the accounts agree on the date and time of year. [...] Both mention that Douglas burned part of the countryside, but the ballad speaks of parts of Northumberland, including Bambroughshire, which was too far east to be en route between Otterburn and Newcastle but which was open to attack by the Coldstream/Wooler route often taken by invading Scots. Froissart makes it clear that Douglas went swiftly without doing damage until he got south of the Tyne, and then started burning villages near Durham.
    Chronicle and ballads agree that the battle took place at night; the ballad is quite clear that the place is Otterburn. (Doubts have been raised by those who study Froissart about the site of the battle, but to my mind the name he gives the place - Ottebourg - suggests the traditional site.) In Froissart Douglas was killed in the press of battle by an unknown person, while in the ballad Percy kills Douglas in hand to hand fighting, without knowing who he was, and the death of Douglas is concealed. Froissart tells of the burial of Douglas at Melrose, while the ballad says that Douglas was buried at the bracken bush. Both ballad and chronicle agree that Percy was captured by Montgomery.
    Froissart of course has a full account of the causes and events leading up to the battle, as he has also of events afterwards. The ballad is more selective. [...] This is the difference between the historian's account, inclusive and balanced, and the ballad's, selective and patriotic. [...]
    The capture of the pennon is an important piece of evidence. [...] None of the versions [of the ballad] mention the pennon. I believe that the absence of the pennon episode supports the view of Sir Walter Scott as a genuine ballad collector, for we know that he possessed Froissart both in French and in two English translations, and if he had been in the habit of putting in non-traditional elements he would surely have put in the pennon. But he recorded and printed an incomplete version in 1803, and this much longer one later. [...] Paradoxically, it is the mistakes, such as including Bambroughshire as being burnt and stating that Douglas was buried at the bracken bush, which reinforce the impression that the similarities between ballad and chronicle arise because both are about the same event, rather than because the ballad is derived from the chronicle. Whatever the ultimate origin of this ballad, by the late eighteenth century it was clearly widespread in the border areas of lowland Scotland from where it was collected several times. [...]
    The structure of this ballad is held together by time sequence [and] by ironic comments which foreshadow the end. [...] The dead man does indeed win the fight, by being hidden in the bracken bush, to which Percy is asked to yield. Stanza 19 [see Henderson above] is only found in this ballad. The 'dead man' may clearly be taken literally, yet it may also have connotations, as of the walking dead man of Scandinavian and some British folk lore. The idea of second sight, or a premonition of one's own death, is not usual in ballads; possibly there is some influence here from Celtic sources. [...] This construction, based on anticipation and repetition, is in the best of oral tradition. Scott's version is supported by others, collected in the same period. One of these, published by Herd in 1776, has a different account of how Douglas was killed [by an enraged page-boy with a penknife]. This incident is most unlikely; it goes against all other accounts of Douglas's death, which seems to have occurred in the middle of the battle. (But there is a suggestion, in a tradition recorded by Hume and Godscroft and mentioned by Child, that Douglas was killed during the battle by a discontented servant.) [...] I suggest that what has happened here is that in the process of oral transmission, the account of Douglas's death was forgotten, and to fill the gap a singer slipped in some stanzas and formulae about a killing. [...] Again, paradoxically, this flaw in two versions from tradition supports the view that this ballad was truly traditional in Scotland, that it was not created from a reading of Froissart, and that it records the Scottish view of the events of the battle of Otterburn. [...]
    The usefulness of a ballad such as this as historical evidence is not great, for it is too slippery and too uncertain in interpretation. In this ballad the facts have been selected to make Douglas the hero, and as well there is a strongly chivalric tone. [...] In this chivalric tone this version is reminiscent of Froissart's work. However, chivalry went in and out of fashion over the centuries. It seems really to have been practised between knights during Froissart's own time [...] and was revived again in the romantic period, when Scott's own influence was great. So it is impossible to date the ballad from the chivalric tone. [...] The narrative takes for hero Douglas, a Scot who was tragically to die, and this nationalist and romantic slant would have been acceptable in some parts of Scotland in the years after the '45.
    Whether or not the strongly Scottish interpretation of the events of August 1388 is a true account cannot be decided; what does appear is the national fervour, the artistic creation of a story in song, and, perhaps, some indication of the changes that a folksong undergoes as it is passed down the generations. (Gardner-Medwin/Williams, A Day Estivall 81ff)

Quelle: Scotland

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