Contents -BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, ed. Poems of Places: An Anthology in 31 Volumes.
Spain, Portugal, Belgium, and Holland: Vols. XIV–XV. 1876–79.

Belgium: Ghent

Mary Ambree

By Percy’s Reliques

WHEN captaines couragious, whom death cold not daunte,

Did march to the siege of the citty of Gaunt,

They mustred their souldiers by two and by three,

And the formost in battle was Mary Ambree.

When brave Sir John Major was slaine in her sight,

Who was her true lover, her joy, and delight,

Because he was slaine most treacherouslie,

Then vowd to revenge him Mary Ambree.

She clothed herselfe from the top to the toe

In buffe of the bravest, most seemelye to showe;

A faire shirt of male then slipped on shee;

Was not this a brave bonny lasse, Mary Ambree?

A helmett of proofe shee strait did provide,

A strong anninge sword shee girt by her side,

On her hand a goodly faire gauntlett put shee;

Was not this a brave bonny lasse, Mary Ambree?

Then tooke shee her sworde and her targett in hand

Bidding all such, as wold, bee of her band;

To wayte on her person came thousand and three:

Was not this a brave bonny lasse, Mary Ambree?

My soldiers, she saith, soe valiant and bold,

Nowe followe your captaine, whom you doe beholde;

Still formost in battel myself will I bee:

Was not this a brave bonny lasse, Mary Ambree?

Then cryed out her souldiers, and loude they did say,

Soe well thou becomest this gallant array,

Thy harte and thy weapons soe well do agree,

There was none ever like Mary Ambree.

Shee cheared her souldiers, that foughten for life,

With ancyent and standard, with drum and with fife,

With brave clanging trumpetts, that sounded so free;

Was not this a brave bonny lasse, Mary Ambree?

Before I will see the worst of you all

To come into danger of death, or of thrall,

This hand and this life I will venture so free:

Was not this a brave bonny lasse, Mary Ambree?

Shee led upp her souldiers in battaile array,

Gainst three times theyr number by breake of the daye;

Seven howers in skirmish continued shee:

Was not this a brave bonny lasse, Mary Ambree?

She filled the skyes with the smoke of her shott,

And her enemyes bodyes with bullets soe hoot;

For one of her owne men a score killed shee:

Was not this a brave bonny lasse, Mary Ambree?

And when her false gunner, to spoyle her intent,

Away all her pellets and powder had sent,

Straight with her keen weapon shee slasht him in three:

Was not this a brave bonny lasse, Mary Ambree?

Being falselye betrayed for lucre of hyre,

At length she was forced to make a retyre;

Then her souldiers into a strong castle drew shee:

Was not this a brave bonny lasse, Mary Ambree?

Then to her owne country shee backe did returne,

Still holding the foes of faire England in scorne:

Therfore English captaines of every degree

Sing forth the brave valours of Mary Ambree.