  IIt fell about the Lammas tide When husbands The doughty Douglas bound him to ride In England to take a prey. IIHe has chosen the Graemes, and the Lindsays light, And the gallant Gordons gay; And the Earl of Fyfe withouten strife, He’s bound him over SolwÀy. IIIThey come in over Ottercap Hill, So down by Rodeley Cragge; Upon Green Leyton they lighted down Styrande IVAnd they have brent And harryed Bamborowe shire, And the Otter Dale they have brent it hale And left it a’ on fire. VThen spake a berne Of comfort that was not cold, And said, ‘We have brent Northumberland, We have all wealth in hold. VI‘Now we have harryed all Bamborowe shire, All the wealth in the world have we: I rede So still and stalworthlye.’ VIIUpon the morrow, when it was day, The standards shone full bright; To Newcastell they took the way, And thither they came full right. VIIITo Newcastell when that they came, The Douglas cry’d on hyght: ‘Harry Percy, an thou bidest within, Come to the field, and fight!— IX‘For we have brent Northumberland, Thy herytage good and right; And syne my lodging I have ta’en, With my brand dubb’d many a knight.’ XSir Harry Percy came to the walls The Scottish host for to see, Sayd, ‘An thou hast brent Northumberland, Full sore it rueth me. XI‘If thou hast haryed all Bamborowe shire, Thou hast done me great envye; For this trespasse thou hast me done The tone XII‘Where shall I bide thee?’ sayd the Douglas, ‘Or where wilt thou come to me?’— ‘But gae ye up to Otterbourne, And wait there dayÈs three. XIII‘The roe full rekeles To make the game and glee; The falcon and the phesant both, To fend XIV‘There may’st thou have thy wealth at will, Well lodg’d thou there may’st be: It shall not be long ere I come thee till Sayd Sir Harry Percy. XV‘There shall I bide thee,’ sayd the Douglas, ‘By the faith of my bodye.’— ‘There shall I come,’ said Sir Harry Percy, ‘My troth I plight to thee.’ XVIA pipe of wine over the wall, He gave them [to their pay There he made the Douglas drinke, And all his host that day. XVIIThe Douglas turn’d him homeward again, [And rode withouten stay]; He pyght Upon a Wedensday. XVIIIAnd syne he warned his men to go To choose their geldings grass; [And he that had no man to send] His own servant he was. XIXA Scottish knight hoved At watch, I dare well say, So was he ware of the noble Percy In the dawning of the day. XXHe pryck’d to his pavilion As fast as he might run: ‘Awaken, Douglas!’ cried the kni |
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