| |
| WHEN 1 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 the brave sergeant-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. | |
| |
| 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? | |
| |
| A helmett of proofe shee strait did provide, | |
| A stronge arminge-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, to bee of her band; | |
| To wayte on her person came thousand and three: | |
| Was not this a brave bonny lasse, Mary Ambree? | 20 |
| |
| ‘My soldiers,’ she saith, ‘soe valliant and bold, | |
| Nowe followe your captaine, whom you doe beholde; | |
| Still formost in battell myselfe will I bee:’ | |
| Was not this a brave bonny lasse, Mary Ambree? | |
| |
| Then cryed out her souldiers, and loude they did say, | 25 |
| ‘Soe well thou becomest this gallant array, | |
| Thy harte and thy weapons so well do agree, | |
| Noe mayden was ever like Mary Ambree.’ | |
| |
| She 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 ledd 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 |
| |
| She filled the skyes with the smoke of her shott, | |
| And her enemyes bodyes with bulletts so hott; | |
| For one of her own men a score killed shee: | |
| Was not this a brave bonny lasse, Mary Ambree? | |
| |
| And when her false gunner, to spoyle her intent, | 45 |
| Away all her pellets and powder had sent, | |
| Straight with her keen weapon she 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? | |
| |
| Her foes they besett her on everye side, | |
| As thinking close siege shee cold never abide; | |
| To beat down the walles they all did agree: | 55 |
| But stoutlye deffyd them brave Mary Ambree. | |
| |
| Then tooke shee her sword and her targett in hand, | |
| And mounting the walls all undaunted did stand, | |
| There daring their captaines to match any three: | |
| O what a brave captaine was Mary Ambree! | 60 |
| |
| ‘Now saye, English captaine, what woldest thou give | |
| To ransome thy selfe, which else must not live? | |
| Come yield thyselfe quicklye, or slaine thou must bee:’ | |
| Then smiled sweetlye brave Mary Ambree. | |
| |
| ‘Ye captaines couragious, of valour so bold, | 65 |
| Whom thinke you before you now you doe behold?’ | |
| ‘A knight, sir, of England, and captaine soe free, | |
| Who shortlye with us a prisoner must bee.’ | |
| |
| ‘No captaine of England; behold in your sight | |
| Two brests in my bosome, and therefore no knight: | 70 |
| Noe knight, sirs, of England, nor captaine you see, | |
| But a poor simple mayden called Mary Ambree.’ | |
| |
| ‘But art thou a woman, as thou dost declare, | |
| Whose valour hath proved so undaunted in warre? | |
| If England doth yield such brave maydens as thee, | 75 |
| Full well may they conquer, faire Mary Ambree.’ | |
| |
| The Prince of Great Parma heard of her renowne, | |
| Who long had advanced for England’s fair crowne; | |
| Hee wooed her and sued her his mistress to bee, | |
| And offered rich presents to Mary Ambree. | 80 |
| |
| But this virtuous mayden despised them all: | |
| ‘I’le nere sell my honour for purple nor pall; | |
| A mayden of England, sir, never will bee | |
| The wench of a monarcke,’ quoth Mary Ambree. | |
| |
| Then to her owne country shee back did returne, | 85 |
| Still holding the foes of faire England in scorne! | |
| Therfore English captaines of every degree | |
| Sing forth the brave valours of Mary Ambree. | |
