Lyr Add: The Colours

Subject: Lyr Add: The Colours
From: *#1 PEASANT*
Date: 15 Jun 04 - 08:13 AM

The Colours

O'er Nuthumbria's hill and dale,
Far and wide the summons flew:
Dallying with the summer gale,
Four gay banners court the view.

Where bright beauty's glance is beaming,
Lasses' love, and lad's delight,
See young Liddell's colours streaming
In a flood of pink and white.

Unstain'd and true see deep true blue
With lighter tints combine,
For honest Bell the triumph swell,
And deck the coaly Tyne.

From Hexham's towers, from Bywell's bowers,
From Allen's wilder shade,
While Beaumont's name loud bands proclaim,
Glints forth the White Cockade.

From mountains rough, old blue and buff,
That oft has won the day,
Is loath to yield, untried the field,
And waves once more for Grey.

Two must win, though four may woo,
Mingle, while ye mingle may,
Pink and white, and buff and blue,
IN a medley strange and gay.

Gay fleeting colours shift and blend
Beneath the sunbeam bright;
Two may last to six years' end,
And two must fade ere night.

'Twas thus Northumbria's genius spoke,
And cast a pitying glance behind,
As from old Alnwick's bowers she broke,
And mounted on the eddying wind.

She raised on high the bonny Bell,
And Liddell's red rose streaked with pale;
The blue and buff, and the White Cockade,
She scattered on the rising gale.

-Surtees, Richardson's Table-Book, 1842

Written on the memorable election for the County of Northumberland in 1826, when there were four candidates. The contest lasted from the 20th of June to the 6th of July, and the numbers polled for each candidate were:- The Hon. H. T. Liddell, 1562; M. Bell, Esq., 1380; T.W. Beaumont, Esq., of Bywell, 1335; and Lord Viscount Howick (who declined the contest on the 3rd), 976.

Robert Surtees, historian of the county of Durham, born in Durham City, died at his seat at Mainsforth on the 11th Februaryu 1834 aged 55 years.