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SIR JOHN SUCKLING'S CAMPAIGN. 129
ling, who raised a troop of horse, so richly accoutred, that it cost him 12,00<M. The like expensive equipment of other parts of the army made the king remark, that " the Scots would fight stoutly, if it were Dut for the Englishmen's fine cloaths." When they came to action, the rugged Scots proved more than a match for the fine showy English: many of whom behaved remarkably ill, and among the rest this splendid troop of Sir John Suckling's." Percy.
This scoffing ballad, sometimes attributed to Suckling himself, is taken from the Musarum Delicice of Sir John Mennis and Dr. James Smith (p. 81 of the reprint, Upon Sir John Sucklings most warlike preparations for the ScolisA warre). The former is said by Wood to have been the author. Percy's copy (Reliques, ii. 341) has one or two different readings.—The first stanza is a parody on John Dory.
Sir John got him an ambling nag,
To Scotland for to ride-a, With a hundred horse more, all his own he swore,
To guard him on every side-a.
No errant-knight ever went to fight s
With halfe so gay a bravado, Had you seen but his look, you'ld have sworn on a book,
Hee'ld have conquer"d a whole armado.
The ladies ran all to the windowes to see
So gallant and warlike a sight-a, w
VOL. VII. 9 |
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