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| 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. | |
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| When brave Sir John Major was slaine in her sight, | 5 |
| Who was her true lover, her joy, and delight, | |
| Because he was slaine most treacherouslie, | |
| Then vowd to revenge him Mary Ambree. | |
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| She clothed herselfe from the top to the toe | |
| In buffe of the bravest, most seemelye to showe; | 10 |
| A faire shirt of male then slipped on shee; | |
| Was not this a brave bonny lasse, Mary Ambree? | |
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| 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; | 15 |
| 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? | 20 |
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| 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? | |
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| Then cryed out her souldiers, and loude they did say, | 25 |
| 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, | 30 |
| 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: | 35 |
| 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? | 40 |
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| 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? | |
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| And when her false gunner, to spoyle her intent, | 45 |
| 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; | 50 |
| 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 | 55 |
| Sing forth the brave valours of Mary Ambree. | |
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