Upon the Scots Being Beaten at Muscleborough Field
On the twelfth day of December,
In the fourth year of King Edwards reign[,]
Two mighty Hosts (as I remember)
At Muscleborough did pitch on a Plain.
For a down, down, derry derry down, Hey down a,
Down, down, down a down derry.
All night our English men they lodged there,
So did the Scots both stout and stubborn,
But well-away was all their cheere,
For we have served them in their own turn.
For a downe, &c.
All night they carded for our English mens Coats,
(They fished before their Nets were spun)
A white for Six-pence, a red for two Groats;
Wisdome would have stayd till they had been won.
For a down, &c.
On the twelfth day all in the morn,
They made a fere as if they would fight;
But many a proud Scot that day was down born,
And many a rank Coward was put to his flight.
For a down, &c.
And the Lord Huntley, we hadden him there,
With him he brought ten thousand men:
But God be thanked, we gave him such a Banquet,
He carryed but few of them home agen.
For a down, &c.
For when he heard our great Guns crack,
Then did his heart fall untill his hose,
He threw down his Weapons, he turned his back,
He ran so fast that he fell on his nose.
For a down, &c.
We beat them back till Edenbrough,
(There’s men alive can witnesse this)
But when we lookt our English men through,
Two hundred good fellowes we did not misse.
For a down, &c.
Now God preserve Edward our King,
With his two Nuncles and Nobles all,
And send us Heaven at our ending:
For we have given Scots a lusty fall.
For a down, down, derry derry down, Hey,
Down a down down, down a down derry.