XIX. Mary Ambree. ...................................................................................................
In the year 1584, the Spaniards, under the command of Alexander Farnese,
Prince of Parma, began to gain great advantages in Flanders and Brabant, by
recovering many strong holds and cities from the Hollanders, as Ghent (called then by
the English Gaunt), Antwerp, Mechlin, &c. See Stow's Annals, p. 711. Some attempt
made with the assistance of English volunteers to retrieve the former of these places
probably gave occasion to this ballad. I can find no mention of our heroine in history,
but the following rhymes rendered her famous among our poets. Ben Jonson often
mentions her, and calls any remarkable virago by her name. See hisEpicœne, first
acted in 1609, Act 4. sc. 2.; hisTale of a Tub, Act 1. sc. 4.; and his masque intitled the
Fortunate Isles, 1626, where he quotes the very words of the ballad:
"Mary Ambree, (Who marched so free
To the siege of Gaunt,
And death could not daunt,
As the ballad doth vaunt)
Were a braver wight," &c.She is also mentioned in Fletcher'sScornful Lady, Act v. sub finem.
"-- My large gentlewoman, my Mary Ambree, had I but seen into you, you should
have had another bedfellow.--"
It is likewise evident that she is the virago intended by Butler in Hudibras (p. i.
c. iii. v. 365), by her being coupled with Joan d'Arc, the celebrated Pucelle d'Orleans.
"A bold virago stout and tall
AsJoanof France, or EnglishMall."
This ballad is printed from a black-letter copy in the Pepys Collection,
improved from the Editor's folio manuscript, and by conjecture. The full title is, "The
valorous acts performed at Gaunt by the brave bonnie lass Mary Ambree, who in
revenge of her lovers death did play her part most gallantly. The tune is,The Blind
Beggar, &c."
WHEN captaines couragious, whom death cold not daunt;
Did march to the siege of the citty of Gaunt,
They mustred their souldiers by two and by three,
And the formost in battle was Mary Ambree.
When brave Sir John Major was slaine in her sight,
Who was her true lover, her joy, and delight,
Because he was slaine most treacherouslie,
Then vowd to revenge him Mary Ambree.
She clothed herselfe from the top to the toe
In buffe of the bravest, most seemelye to showe;
A faire shirt of male[1] then slipped on shee;
Was not this a brave bonny lass, Mary Ambree?
A helmett of proof shee strait did provide,
A strong arminge sword shee girt by her side,
On her hand a goodly faire gauntlett put shee;
Was not this a brave bonny lass, Mary Ambree?