The Duke of Burgundy armed, and bearing the great Ducal Sword. (Frontispiece.) Rejoicings at Ghent on the Conclusion of Peace Female Head-dresses of the Fifteenth Century, styled Au Hennin King Henry V. of England, with Military Attendants (Title.) Ceremony of Excommunication by Bell, Book, and Candle Procession of the King to perform the funeral obsequies of the Duke of Captivity of the Duke of Orleans in the Tower of London The City of Rouen View of Chateau Gaillard The Murder of the Duke of Burgundy at the Bridge of Montereau Katharine, Queen of Henry V., with attendants The Provost of Rheims presenting the Keys of the City to Charles VII. 128 EVENINGS WITH THE CHRONICLERS. FIRST EVENING. THE BATTLE OF OTTERBOURNE. Chevy Chace-Disputes between the Nevilles and Percies-The Scots make an inroad on England-Douglas conquers Sir Henry Percy's Pennon before Newcastle-Battle of OtterbourneDeath of Douglas-Adventures of Sir Matthew Redman. "WHAT are you reading, Henry?" said uncle Rupert to his nephew, who sat by the fire with a book in his hand, on which he appeared very intent. "What are you reading, that seems to give you so much pleasure?" "About the battle of Chevy Chace," said Henry, showing his book, a volume of the Spectator, to his uncle; "and I was as much delighted with it as Sir Philip Sidney, who said-see here, uncle' that he never heard the old song of Percy and Douglas, that he found not his heart more moved than with a trumpet; but was there ever really such a battle ?” "No, my dear," replied uncle Rupert; "the only battle between a Douglas and a Perey, in which an Earl of Douglas was slain, was that of Otterbourne, which was fought in the year 1388. Some of the circumstances of that battle gave rise to the ballad of Chevy Chace, but the poet has completely altered the story as to the cause of the quarrel, the number of men, and many other things. At Otterbourne, Percy (the Earl's son, for he himself was not there) was not slain, only taken prisoner. But as the Percies and Douglases were continually quarrelling, it is very probable that some such hunting in the Cheviot, as is described in the ballad, really did take place, though the mischief done was not so great as is represented, and no mention is made of it in history." "I should like to read the ballad all through," said Henry; "there are only parts of it here." |