A ballad entitled Northumberland News
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[William Elderton's A ballad entitled Northumberland News, Wherein you may see what Rebels do use, was printed in 1570, as a response to the 1569 Northern Rebellion. It reflects Elderton's protestant patriotism and shows that in 1570 Elizabethans still saw a connection between contemporary rebellion and the conflict between the Percies and Henry IV. Key figures involved in the rebellion -- notably Thomas Percy, seventh earl of Northumberland, and Charles Neville, sixth earl of Westmorland -- were descendants of nobles represented in Shakespeare's play. This modern-spelling version of the ballad is adapted from a facsimile from Early English Books Online.]
A ballad entitled Northumberland News
Wherein you may see what Rebels do use.
Wherein you may see what Rebels do use.
Come tumbling down, come tumbling down.
That will not yet be true to the crown.
That will not yet be true to the crown.
You north-country noddies, why be ye so bragge
To rise and raise honor to Romish renown
You know ye at Tyburn there standeth a nag
For such as will never be true to the crown.
Come tumbling. &c.
To rise and raise honor to Romish renown
You know ye at Tyburn there standeth a nag
For such as will never be true to the crown.
Come tumbling. &c.
What mean ye to follow the man in the moon,
With batts, bows and arrows and billes very brown.
His shining with shame will be shadowed so soon,
It will grieve him that ever he troubled the crown.
Come tumbling. &c.
With batts, bows and arrows and billes very brown.
His shining with shame will be shadowed so soon,
It will grieve him that ever he troubled the crown.
Come tumbling. &c.
Though popery wrought a great while ago,
That Percy provoked King Harry to frown.
Yet who would have though there were any more,
That would not yet be true to the crown.
Come tumbling. &c.
That Percy provoked King Harry to frown.
Yet who would have though there were any more,
That would not yet be true to the crown.
Come tumbling. &c.
Our queen is the daughter of Henry th’eight,
Who brought every altar and imagery down.
He left her and taught her a remedy great,
For any that would not be true to the crown.
Come tumbling. &c.
Who brought every altar and imagery down.
He left her and taught her a remedy great,
For any that would not be true to the crown.
Come tumbling. &c.
And though you do greet her like traitors with treason
To whom you owe honor with cap and knee down.
I am sure that Saint Peter will say it is reason,
To rule ye that will not be true to the crown.
Come tumbling. &c.
To whom you owe honor with cap and knee down.
I am sure that Saint Peter will say it is reason,
To rule ye that will not be true to the crown.
Come tumbling. &c.
And though you do say there is matter amiss,
Which you would redress by noble renown,
What any way worse than rebellion is,
Of any that will not be true to the crown.
Come tumbling. &c.
Which you would redress by noble renown,
What any way worse than rebellion is,
Of any that will not be true to the crown.
Come tumbling. &c.
What strangers can be, more stranger than ye,
That gather together both carter and clown.
And study to stir to seek and to see,
Which way to devise to trouble the crown.
Come tumbling. &c.
That gather together both carter and clown.
And study to stir to seek and to see,
Which way to devise to trouble the crown.
Come tumbling. &c.
Sir John Shorn, your morrow mass priest,
Saith to Lobbe, look about will ye kneel down.
We will have a mass before Jesus Christ,
And that is the way to trouble the crown.
Come tumbling. &c.
Saith to Lobbe, look about will ye kneel down.
We will have a mass before Jesus Christ,
And that is the way to trouble the crown.
Come tumbling. &c.
The knights to their knaves say stick and be stout,
Our banners and staves shall bring us renown.
We have nobles and others that be as devout,
To help us at this time of trouble the crown.
Come tumbling. &c.
Our banners and staves shall bring us renown.
We have nobles and others that be as devout,
To help us at this time of trouble the crown.
Come tumbling. &c.
The rebels come slinging but what cometh after,
A long worth the singing hey down a down down.
A Tyborne tippet, a coope, or a halter,
For any that will not be true to the crown.
Come tumbling. &c.
A long worth the singing hey down a down down.
A Tyborne tippet, a coope, or a halter,
For any that will not be true to the crown.
Come tumbling. &c.
For though ye spoil churches and burn up the bible,
And worship gay crosses in every town.
Your idols, you asses, are never possible,
To save ye that will not be true to the crown.
Come tumbling. &c.
And worship gay crosses in every town.
Your idols, you asses, are never possible,
To save ye that will not be true to the crown.
Come tumbling. &c.
And though ye do carry the banner of force,
And jolly [round robin
under your gown.
You know that Saint George hath a prancing host,
Can make any rebel to stoop to the crown.
Come tumbling. &c.
And jolly [round robin
under your gown.
You know that Saint George hath a prancing host,
Can make any rebel to stoop to the crown.
Come tumbling. &c.
The Westmorland bull must come to the stake,
The Lion will roar still till he be down.
Northumberland then will tremble and quake,
For woe that he was to false to the crown.
Come tumbling. &c.
The Lion will roar still till he be down.
Northumberland then will tremble and quake,
For woe that he was to false to the crown.
Come tumbling. &c.
And catholics old that hold with the pope,
And carry dead images up and down.
To take better hold they shall have a rope,
To teach them once to be true to the crown.
Come tumbling. &c.
And carry dead images up and down.
To take better hold they shall have a rope,
To teach them once to be true to the crown.
Come tumbling. &c.
Let every priest that sayeth any mass,
Either choose to take the crucifix down.
Or hang as high as the crucifix was,
Except he will be true to the crown.
Come tumbling. &c.
Either choose to take the crucifix down.
Or hang as high as the crucifix was,
Except he will be true to the crown.
Come tumbling. &c.
For God is a God of jealousy such,
He looks to have his holy renown.
Or else he will mislike very much,
To give anyone his excellent crown.
Come tumbling. &c.
He looks to have his holy renown.
Or else he will mislike very much,
To give anyone his excellent crown.
Come tumbling. &c.
God prosper the queen as I trust that he shall,
And grant of his mercy with blessed renown.
The north, and the west country, the south, east, and all,
The people of England may cleave to the crown.
Come tumbling. &c.
And grant of his mercy with blessed renown.
The north, and the west country, the south, east, and all,
The people of England may cleave to the crown.
Come tumbling. &c.
And I wish the good preachers & other true teachers,
Would visit the vineyard whose branches be down.
That all the north country yet nuzzled in popery,
Might know their duty to God and the crown.
Come tumbling. &c.
Would visit the vineyard whose branches be down.
That all the north country yet nuzzled in popery,
Might know their duty to God and the crown.
Come tumbling. &c.