  PART I God prosper long our noble King, Our lives and safeties all! A woeful Hunting once there did In Chevy Chase befall. Earl Percy took the way; The child may rue, that is unborn, The hunting of that day! The stout Earl of Northumberland A vow to God did make, His pleasure in the Scottish woods, Three summer days to take; The chiefest harts in Chevy Chase, To kill and bear away. These tidings to Earl Douglas came In Scotland, where he lay. Who sent Earl Percy present word, He would prevent his sport. The English Earl, not fearing that, Did to the woods resort With fifteen hundred bowmen bold, All chosen men of might, Who knew full well, in time of need, To aim their shafts aright. The gallant greyhounds swiftly ran, To chase the fallow deer. On Monday, they began to hunt, Ere daylight did appear; And long before high noon they had A hundred fat bucks slain: Then, having dined, the drovers went To rouse the deer again. The hounds ran swiftly through the woods, The nimble deer to take, That with their cries the hills and dales An echo shrill did make. To view the slaughtered deer, Quoth he, 'Earl Douglas promisÉd This day to meet me here: 'But if I thought he would not come, No longer would I stay!' With that, a brave young gentleman, Thus to the Earl did say: 'Lo! yonder doth Earl Douglas come! His men in armour bright! Full twenty hundred Scottish spears All marching in our sight! 'All pleasant men of Tividale, Fast by the river Tweed.' 'O, cease your sports!' Earl Percy said, 'And take your bows with speed; 'And now with me, my countrymen, Your courage forth advance; For there was never champion yet, In Scotland, nor in France, 'That ever did on horseback come; And, if my hap it were, I durst encounter man for man, With him to break a spear!' Earl Douglas, on his milk-white steed, Most like a baron bold, Rode foremost of his company, Whose armour shone like gold. 'Show me,' said he, 'whose men you be, That hunt so boldly here? That, without my consent, do chase And kill my fallow deer?' Was noble Percy he, Who said, 'We list not to declare, Nor show, whose men we be: 'Yet we will spend our dearest blood Thy chiefest harts to slay.' Then Douglas swore a solemn oath, And thus in rage did say: 'Ere thus I will outbravÈd be, One of us two shall die: I know thee well! An earl thou art, Lord Percy. So am I. 'But, trust me, Percy, pity it were, And great offence, to kill Any of these, our guiltless men! For they have done no ill. 'Let thou and I, the battle try; And set our men aside.' 'Accursed be he,' Earl Percy said, 'By whom it is denied!' Then stepped a gallant squire forth, Witherington was his name, Who said, 'I would not have it told To Henry our king, for shame, 'That e'er my Captain fought on foot, And I stood looking on. You be two earls,' quoth Witherington, 'And I a squire alone. 'I'll do the best that do I may, While I have power to stand: While I have power to wield my sword, I'll fight with heart and hand.' Their hearts were good and true. At the first flight of arrows sent, Full fourscore Scots they slew. 'To drive the deer with hound and horn!' Douglas bade on the bent. Two captains moved, with mickle might, Their spears to shivers went. They closed full fast on every side; No slackness there was found: But many a gallant gentleman Lay gasping on the ground. O, Christ! it was a grief to see, And likewise for to hear, The cries of men lying in their gore, And scattered here and there. At last, these two stout earls did meet. Like captains of great might, Like lions wood, they laid on load, And made a cruel fight: They fought, until they both did sweat, With swords of tempered steel, Till blood adown their cheeks, like rain, They trickling down did feel. 'Yield thee, O Percy,' Douglas said, 'In faith! I will thee bring, Where thou shalt high advancÈd be, By James, our Scottish King! |
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