Thomas Percy

“ In 1380 Percy took part in the great expedition of Thomas of Woodstock, earl of Buckingham, for which he was retained with two hundred men-at-arms and two hundred archers (Froissart, vol. ix. p. c n., ed. Reynaud) . The English landed at Calais in July, and marched through northern France to Brittany. Percy was sent from Rennes with Sir Robert Knolles to bring the Duke of Brittany to the English camp. ”

“ This was based on an old manuscript collection of poetry, rescued by Percy in Humphrey Pitt's house at Shifnal, Shropshire, from the hands of the housemaid who was about to light the fire with it. The manuscript was edited in its complete form by J. W. Hales and F. J. Furnivall in 1867-1868.
See A. C C. Gaussen, Percy Prelate and Poet (1908) . The Reliques has been edited by various hands, notably by H. B. Wheatley (1876) The fourth edition was by Percy's nephew, Thomas Percy (1768-1808) , himself a writer of verse. ”

“ In 1619 Thomas Campion [q. v.] included in his ‘Epigrammata’ a friendly and appreciative address to Percy in Latin verse (bk. ii. No. 40; cf. edit. by Mr. A. H. Bullen, p. 325) .
Percy seems to have lived a troubled life. At one time he was in the Tower on a charge of homicide. In 1638 he was residing obscurely in Oxford, ‘drinking nothing but ale’ (Strafford Letters, ii. 166) . He died at Oxford in May 1648, ‘an aged bachelor in Pennyfarthing Street, after he had lived a melancholy and retired life many years.’ He was buried on 28 May in Christchurch Cathedral. ”

“ He was consecrated by the Pope at Avignon, 23rd May 1344. During his episcopate in (Edward III.'s reign) [105] 1349, Norwich was visited by "Black Death"; over 51,000 are supposed to have fallen victims to the dread plague. He founded Trinity Hall at Cambridge, 1350; was sent to Rome on an embassy there. He died January 6, 1354. He was buried at the church of St. Mary of Avignon.
Thomas Percy (1355-69) , brother of Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland, against the wishes of the monks, was elected to the see. ”

“ The expedition, of which Percy was admiral, sailed from Plymouth on 7 July, and landed at Corunna on 9 Aug. Percy took part in the reconnaissance and skirmish before Ribadavira, escorted Philippa of Lancaster to Oporto to be married to King John of Portugal, and returned in time to join in the march to Betanços. He fought with Barrois des Barres before Ferrol, and in 1387 was present at the skirmish before Vilhalpando. After the outbreak of pestilence which cost the life of his nephew, Thomas de Percy the younger, he returned with John Holland to England. ”

“ Percy & his wife & the little son spent some weeks with us at Christmas & now they have taken a house quite near, into which they will be moving in a week or two. I can’t tell you what a dear, affectionate, reasonable, companionable little fellow Archie is—now six years old. Perhaps you will have seen in the American papers that Sidney Thomas, the cousin with whom Percy was associated in the discovery of the Basic process, is dead—he spent his strength too freely—wore himself out at 35—he was much loved by all with whom he had to do. ”

“ PERCY, THOMAS (1729–1811) , editor of the ‘Reliques of Ancient English Poetry’ and bishop of Dromore, was born in Cartway Street, Bridgnorth, Shropshire, on 13 April 1729. His father was a grocer and the son of a grocer, as appears from the ‘Bridgnorth Common Council Books;’ but, in later life at least, the bishop was anxious to deduce his descent from the Percys of Northumberland, with the living representative of whom he was brought into official and social connection. ”

“ Imma agreed, in words which were the most serious and grave which Klaus Heinrich had ever heard from her mouth.
"Yes," she said, "you're a good friend to me, Percy, I shall always love you. A veterinary surgeon said you were half mad and advised us to have you put away, as you were impossible and a constant danger to us. But they shan't take my Percy from me. He is impossible, I know, and often an incumbrance, but he's always appealing and noble, and I love him dearly." ”

“ Fair Warkworth lifts her lofty towers,
⁠And overlooks the sea.
These towers, alas! now stand forlorn,
⁠With noisome weeds o’erspread;
Where feasted lords and courtly dames,
⁠And where the poor were fed.
Meantime, far off, ’midst Scottish hills,
⁠The Percy lives unknown:
On stranger’s bounty he depends,
⁠And may not claim his own. ”

“ WARKWORTH:
A
NORTHUMBERLAND TALE.
in three·parts.
BY DR. THOMAS PERCY, BISHOP OF DROMORE.
EDINBURGH:
PUBLISHED BY R. MARTIN, BROWN STREET.
———
MDCCCXLVI.
HERMIT OF WARKWORTH.
PART FIRST
Dark was the night, and wild the storm,
⁠And loud the torrent’s roar;
And loud the sea was heard to dash
⁠Against the distant shore.
Musing on man’s weak hapless state,
⁠The lonely hermit lay ”

“ Agnes de Percy sole heiress of her house, married Josceline de Louvaine, youngest son of Godfrey Barbatus, duke of Brabant, and brother of Queen Adeliza, second wife of King Henry I, he took the name of Percy, and was ancestor of the Earls of Northumberland. His son, Lord Richard de Percy, was one of the twenty-six barons chosen to see the Magna Charta duly observed.
(11) Wark Castle, a fortress belonging to the English, and of great note in ancient times, stood on the southern bank of the river Tweed, a little to the east of Tiviotdale, and not far from Kelso. It is now entirely destroyed. ”

“ Christ Who is the first-fruits of the salvation of mankind, has, by His rising again, certified the resurrection of our corruptible bodies. After His resurrection from the dead He appeared to the disciples, and Thomas saw and touched the mark of the spear, and the wounds of the nails wherewith He had been nailed by those wicked ones who pierced Him, and who are destined once more to behold that same One, when He shall come again in His great glory. ”

“ He withdraws himself, even though he is extremely fond of such caresses, in accordance with his earthy, all too earthy sentimentality, and in contradistinction to the impervious Percy. He particularly appreciates being scratched upon the throat, and he has acquired a droll but adroit energy in guiding one’s hand to the proper place by means of short movements of the head. ”

“ No one was more eager than Forster. Mutual explanations and apologies were given and all was as before. The liberal Forster, always eager to find "an excuse for the glass," announced a grand reconciliation dinner, to which came a rather notable party, [39] to wit, Thomas Carlyle, Browning and his son, the Rev. Whitwell Elwin, the editor of Pope, and sometime editor of the Quarterly, the young Robert Lytton, myself, and some others whom I have forgotten. ”

“ The Percys rose in revolt. Henry Percy had special grievances against the king, in which his father had some share. Northumberland was thwarted by the king's inability to supply him with the money that he needed for the war with the Scots, he had been treated somewhat shabbily with respect to the Scottish prisoners, he had good reason to suspect the king of endeavouring to represent him and his family as the cause of the poverty of the realm, and he was probably also jealous of the Earl of Westmorland, the earl's nephew by his first wife and the head of the rival house of the Nevilles of Raby. ”

“ But Douglas. Raby. [puts his hand to his sword.] You?—O spare my age's weakness! You do not know what 'tis to be a father; You do not know, or you would pity me, The thousand tender throbs, the nameless feelings, The dread to ask, and yet the wish to know, When we adore and fear; but wherefore fear? Does not the blood of Raby fill her veins? Dou. Percy;—know'st thou that name? Raby. How? What of Percy? Dou. He loves Elwina, and, my curses on him! He is belov'd again. Raby. I'm on the rack! Dou. Not the two Theban brothers bore each other Such deep, such deadly hate as I and Percy. Raby. ”

“ Be calm; Douglas this very moment left the castle, With seeming peace. Elw. Ah, then, indeed there's danger! Birtha, whene'er Suspicion feigns to sleep, 'Tis but to make its careless prey secure. Bir. Should Percy once again entreat to see thee, 'Twere best admit him; from thy lips alone He will submit to hear his final doom Of everlasting exile. Elw. Birtha, no; If honour would allow the wife of Douglas To meet his rival, yet I durst not do it. Percy! too much this rebel heart is thine: Too deeply should I feel each pang I gave; I cannot hate—but I will banish—thee. ”

“ Tears rolled fast down his cheeks as he spoke.
"But the Lord loves, and is always watching over you."
"Yes," replied Percy very gravely, "but He must see in me so much to displease and offend Him. Remember, Willy, that He is a just and a terrible God!"
"All of us do wrong often; but, Percy, I should think that few offended so seldom as you do."
"Ah! You do not know," replied the boy, rocking himself backwards and forwards us if in pain. "I have plenty of time to look at my own heart, as I lie day after day, and night after night, with nothing to amuse or to distract my attention. ”

“ Let me not hear the music of thy voice, Or I shall love thee still; I shall forget Thy fatal marriage and my savage wrongs. Elw. Dost thou not hate me, Percy? Per. Hate thee? Yes, As dying martyrs hate the righteous cause Of that bless'd power for whom they bleed—I hate thee. [they look at each other with silent agony.] Enter Harcourt. Har. Forgive, my lord, your faithful knight—— Per. Come, Harcourt, Come, and behold the wretch who once was Percy. Har. With grief I've learn'd the whole unhappy tale. Earl Douglas, whose suspicion never sleeps— Per. What, is the tyrant jealous? ”

“ He treasured them up, and he practised them; and his deportment gave him a deeper interest in the eyes of the Northumberland farmer and his family.
William Percy was esteemed by his neighbours as a church-going and a good man. He was kind to his servants; he paid every man his own; he was an affectionate husband and a fond father; the poor turned not away murmuring from his door ”

“ O I will tell thee all! thou couldst not find An hour, a moment in Elwina's life, When her full heart so long'd to ease its burthen, And pour its sorrows in thy friendly bosom: Hear then, with pity hear, my tale of woe, And, O forgive, kind nature, filial piety, If my presumptuous lips arraign a father! Yes, Birtha, that belov'd, that cruel father, Has doom'd me to a life of hopeless anguish, To die of grief ere half my days are number'd; Doom'd me to give my trembling hand to Douglas, 'Twas all I had to give—my heart was—Percy's. ”

“ By your own promise, by a father's promise, And by a tie more strong, more sacred still, Mine, by the fast firm bond of mutual love. Raby. Now, by my fears, thy husband told me truth. Elw. If he has told thee, that thy only child Was forc'd a helpless victim to the altar, Torn from his arms who had her virgin heart, And forc'd to make false vows to one she hated, Then I confess that he has told the truth. Raby. Her words are barbed arrows in my heart. But 'tis too late. [aside.] Thou hast appointed Harcourt To see thee here by stealth in Douglas' absence? ”

“ Cousin Sarah here began to put Percy through a series of questions relating to her aunt Devine, her father and mother, her school, and other things which diverted her from her fears, till Mrs. Ackerman and Margaret came home. Then came another trouble. She was sure she never should dare to sleep alone, and in the third story, too. What if there should be a fire, and she should not wake till it was too late to save herself. What if a robber should come in? He would be sure to go up-stairs first of all. ”

“ Har. Your noble father Obtain'd my freedom, having learn'd from Hubert The news of Percy's death. The good old lord, Hearing the king's return, has left the castle To do him homage. [To Percy] Sir, you had best retire; Your safety is endanger'd by your stay. I fear, should Douglas know—— Per. Should Douglas know! Why what new magic's in the name of Douglas, That it should strike Northumberland with fear? Go, seek the haughty Scot, and tell him—no— Conduct me to his presence. Elw. Percy, hold; Think not 'tis Douglas—'tis— Per. I know it well—— Thou mean'st to tell me 'tis Elwina's husband ”

“ Perhaps, after all, Percy, too, had given up all hope. Long ago he had consecrated his life to the attainment of his own ideals; and there was a vein of fatalism in him; perhaps he had resigned himself to the inevitable, and his only desire now was to give up his life, as he had said, in the open, beneath God’s sky, to draw his last breath with the storm-clouds tossed through infinity above him, and the murmur of the wind in the trees to sing him to rest.
Crecy was gradually fading into the distance, wrapped in a mantle of damp and mist. ”

“ XXXII
‘Yield thee, Percy,’ said the Douglas,
‘And i’ faith I shall thee bring
Where thou shalt have an Earl’s wages
Of Jamie our Scottish king.
XXXIII
‘Thou shaltè have thy ransom free,
—I hight [1109] thee here this thing;
For the manfullest man thou art that e’er
I conquer’d in field fighting.’
XXXIV
But ‘Nay’, then said the lord Percye,
‘I told it thee beforn
That I would never yielded be
To man of a woman born.’
[Pg 670] XXXV
With that an arrow came hastily
Forth of a mighty wane [1110] ”

“ The cliff, the vault, but chief the tomb,
⁠Attract the wond’ring pair:
Eager they ask what hapless dame
⁠Lies sculptur’d here so fair.
The hermit sigh’d, the hermit wept,
⁠For sorrow scarce could speak;
At length he wip’d the trickling tears
⁠’That all bedew’d his cheek:
Alas! my children, human life
⁠Is but a vale of woe;
And very mournful is the tale,
⁠Which ye so fain would know.
THE HERMIT’S TALE.
Young lord, thy grandsire had a friend
⁠In days of youthful fame;
Yon distant hills were his domains:
⁠Sir Bertram was his name. ”