A Bundle of Ballads | Page 9

lives and safeties all!?A woeful hunting once there did?In Chevy Chase befall.
To drive the deer with hound and horn?Earl Piercy 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 summers' 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 Piercy 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 drivers went?To rouse the deer again.
The bowmen mustered on the hills,?Well able to endure;?Their backsides all with special care?That day were guarded sure.
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.
Lord Piercy to the quarry went?To view the tender deer;?Quoth he, "Earl Douglas promised once?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 men of pleasant Tividale?Fast by the river Tweed."?"O cease your sports!" Earl Piercy 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,?But 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."
The first man that did answer make?Was noble Piercy, 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 outbrav-ed be,?One of us two shall die!?I know thee well! an earl thou art,?Lord Piercy! so am I.
"But trust me, Piercy, 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."?"Accurst be he," Earl Piercy 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 stand 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!"
Our English archers bent their bows--?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 great grief to see?How each man chose his spear,?And how the blood out of their breasts?Did gush like water clear!
At last these two stout Earls did meet?Like captains of great might;?Like lions wood they laid on load,?They 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.
"O yield thee, Piercy!" Douglas said,?"And in faith I will thee bring?Where thou shalt high advanc-ed be?By James our Scottish king;
"Thy ransom I will freely give,?And this report of thee,?Thou art the most courageous knight?That ever I did see."
"No, Douglas!" quoth Earl Piercy then,?"Thy proffer I do scorn;?I will not yield to any Scot?That ever yet was born!"
With that there came an arrow keen?Out of an English bow,?Which struck Earl Douglas to the heart?A deep and deadly blow;
Who never said more words than these,?"Fight on; my merry men all!?For why? my life is at an end,?Lord Piercy sees my fall."
Then leaving life, Earl Piercy took?The dead man by the hand;?Who said, "Earl Douglas! for thy life?Would I had lost my land!
"O Christ! my very heart doth bleed?For sorrow for thy sake!?For sure, a more redoubted knight?Mischance could never take!"
A knight amongst the Scots there was,?Which saw Earl Douglas die,?Who straight in heart did vow revenge?Upon the Lord Pierc-y;
Sir Hugh Montgomery he was called,?Who, with a spear full bright,?Well mounted on a gallant steed,?Ran fiercely through the fight,
And past the English archers all?Without all dread or fear,?And through