In Scotland, news and opinion was circulated in the
form of printed ballads which satirised the characters and actions of
the leaders of the opposing parties. Lord Fleming's defence of Dumbarton
for Mary was satirized in a ballad The tressoun of Dumbertane, printed
in Edinburgh by Robert Lekprevik in May 1570. The verses, attributed to
Robert Sempill, describe Fleming's failed ambush of the English
commander William Drury.
Another ballad, an Answeir to the
Englisch Ballad, criticised Regent Mar, the Earl of Morton and
colleagues for the rendition of the Earl of Northumberland to England
after the Rising of the North;
Thomas Percy, 7th Earl of
Northumberland was returned to England for execution
Thocht sum have
playit Judas' pairt,
In selling gud Northumberland,
Quhy sould the
whoill, for thair desert,
That faine wald have that fact withstand?
Or yit the countrey beir the blame?
Let thame that sauld him have the
schame.
Mar, and the divelishe Douglassis,
And namelie, Morton
and Lochlevin, (Robert Douglas of Lochleven)
Mackgill and Orknay,
Scottisch assis, (Adam Bothwell, Bishop of Orkney))
And Cleisch quhom
to the gold wes gevin, (Robert Colville, Laird of Cleish)
Dunfermling
that the py prepaird, (Robert Pitcairn, Commendator of Dunfermline: "pie
prepared" plotted)
And lowse Lindsay quho was his gaird,
These
onlie wer the Judassis.
Note:
• This ballad references
events in the Marian Civil War. |
