The moon was clear, the day drew near,
  The spears in flinders flew,
  But mony a gallant Englishman,
  Ere day the Scotsmen slew.

  The Gordons good, in English blood,
  They steep’d their hose and shoon;
  The Lindsays flew like fire about,
  Till all the fray was done.

  The Percy and Montgomery 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 to shall I yield,” said Earl Percy,
  “Now that I see it must be so?”

  “Thou shalt not yield to lord nor loun,
  “Nor yet shalt thou yield to me;
  “But yield thee to the braken bush,[105]
  “That grows upon yon lilye lee!”

  “I will not yield to a braken bush,
  “Nor yet will I yield to a briar;
  But I would yield to Earl Douglas,
  “Or Sir Hugh the Montgomery, if he were here.”

  As soon as he knew it was Montgomery,
  He stuck his sword’s point in the gronde;
  And the Montgomery was a courteous knight,
  And quickly took him by the honde.

  This deed was done at Otterbourne,
  About the breaking of the day;
  Earl Douglas was buried at the braken bush,
  And the Percy led captive away.

[Footnote 103:  Fell.—­Hide.  Douglas insinuates, that Percy was rescued by his soldiers.]

[Footnote 104:  Fend.—­Support.]

[Footnote 105:  Braken.—­Fern.]

* * * * *

NOTES ON THE BATTLE OF OTTERBOURNE.

He chose the Gordons and the Graemes.—­P. 64. v. 2.

The illustrious family of Gordon was originally settled upon the lands of Gordon and Huntly, in the shire of Berwick, and are, therefore, of border extraction.  The steps, by which they removed from thence to the shires of Aberdeen and Inverness, are worthy notice.  In 1300, Adam de Gordon was warden of the marches.—­Rymer, Vol.  II. p. 870.  He obtained, from Robert the Bruce, a grant of the forfeited estate of David de Strathbolgie, Earl of Athol; but no possession followed, the earl having returned to his allegiance.—­John de Gordon, his great-grandson, obtained, from Robert II., a new charter of the lands of Strathbolgie, which had been once more and finally forfeited, by David, Earl of Athol, slaine in the battle of Kilblene.  This grant is dated 13th July, 1376.  John de Gordon who was destined to transfer, from the borders of England to those of the Highlands, a powerful and martial race, was himself a redoubted warrior, and many of his exploits occur in the annals of that turbulent period.  In 1371-2, the English borderers invaded and plundered the lands of Gordon, on the Scottish east march.  Sir John of Gordon retaliated, by an incursion on Northumberland, where he collected