{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/eng/boeb/boeb03.htm","path":"neu/eng/boeb/boeb03.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/eng/boeb/boeb03.htm","text":"GOD prosper long our noble king,\n \u00a0\u00a0Our liffes and safetyes all;\n A woefull hunting once there did\n \u00a0\u00a0In Chevy-Chace befall.\nTo drive the deere with hound and horne,\n \u00a0\u00a0Erle Percy took his way;\n The child may rue that is unborne\n \u00a0\u00a0The hunting of that day.\nThe stout Erle of Northumberland\n \u00a0\u00a0A vow to God did make,\n His pleasure in the Scottish woods\n \u00a0\u00a0Three summers days to take;\nThe cheefest harts in Chevy-Chace\n \u00a0\u00a0To kill and beare away:\n These tydings to Erle Douglas came,\n \u00a0\u00a0In Scotland where he lay.\nWho sent Erie Percy present word,\n \u00a0\u00a0He wold prevent his sport;\n The English Erle not fearing that,\n \u00a0\u00a0Did to the woods resort,\nWith fifteen hundred bow-men bold,\n \u00a0\u00a0All chosen men of might,\n Who knew full well in time of neede\n \u00a0\u00a0To ayme their shafts arright.\nThe gallant greyhounds swiftly ran,\n \u00a0\u00a0To chase the fallow deere;\n On Munday they began to hunt,\n \u00a0\u00a0Ere day-light did appeare;\nAnd long before high noone they had\n \u00a0\u00a0An hundred fat buckes slaine;\n Then having din'd, the drovyers went\n \u00a0\u00a0To rouze the deare againe.\nThe bow-men mustered on the hills,\n \u00a0\u00a0Well able to endure;\n Theire backsides all, with speciall care,\n \u00a0\u00a0That day were guarded sure.\nThe hounds ran swiftly through the woods,\n \u00a0\u00a0The nimble deere to take,\n That with their cryes the hills and dales\n \u00a0\u00a0An eccho shrill did make.\nLord Percy to the quarry went,\n \u00a0\u00a0To view the tender deere;\n Quoth he, \"Erle Douglas promised\n \u00a0\u00a0This day to meet me heere;\n\"But if I thought he wold not come,\n \u00a0\u00a0Noe longer wold I stay.\"\n With that, a brave younge gentleman\n \u00a0\u00a0Thus to the Erle did say:\n\"Loe, yonder doth Erle Douglas come,\n \u00a0\u00a0His men in armour bright;\n Full twenty hundred Scottish speres,\n \u00a0\u00a0All marching in our sight.\n\"All men of pleasant Tivydale,\n \u00a0\u00a0Fast by the river Tweede:\"\n \"O cease your sport,\" Erle Percy said,\n \u00a0\u00a0\"And take your bowes with speede.\n\"And now with me, my countrymen,\n \u00a0\u00a0Your courage forth advance;\n For never was there champion yett\n \u00a0\u00a0In Scotland or in France,\n\"That ever did on horsebacke come,\n \u00a0\u00a0But, if my hap it were,\n I durst encounter man for man,\n \u00a0\u00a0With him to breake a spere.\"\nErle Douglas on his milke-white steede,\n \u00a0\u00a0Most like a baron bold,\n Rode formost of his company,\n \u00a0\u00a0Whose armour shone like gold.\n\"Show me,\" sayd hee, \"whose men you bee,\n \u00a0\u00a0That hunt soe boldly heere,\n That, without my consent, doe chase\n \u00a0\u00a0And kill my fallow-deere.\"\nThe man that first did answer make\n \u00a0\u00a0Was noble Percy hee;\n Who sayd, \"Wee list not to declare,\n \u00a0\u00a0Nor shew whose men wee bee.\n\"Yet will wee spend our deerest blood,\n \u00a0\u00a0Thy cheefest harts to slay;\"\n Then Douglas swore a solempne oathe,\n \u00a0\u00a0And thus in rage did say;\n\"Ere thus I will out-braved bee,\n \u00a0\u00a0One of us two shall dye:\n I know thee well, an erle thou art;\n \u00a0\u00a0Lord Percy, soe am I.\n\"But trust me, Percy, pittye it were,\n \u00a0\u00a0And great offence, to kill\n Any of these our guiltlesse men,\n \u00a0\u00a0For they have done no ill.\n\"Let thou and I the battell trye,\n \u00a0\u00a0And set our men aside.\"\n \"Accurst bee he,\" Erle Percy sayd,\n \u00a0\u00a0By whome this is denyed.\"\nThen stept a gallant squier forth,\n \u00a0\u00a0Witherington was his name,\n Who said, \"I wold not have it told\n \u00a0\u00a0To Henry our king for shame,\n\"That ere my captaine fought on foote,\n \u00a0\u00a0And I stood looking on:\n You bee two erles,\" sayd Witherington,\n \u00a0\u00a0\"And I a squier alone.\n\"Ile doe the best that doe I may,\n \u00a0\u00a0While I have power to stand;\n While I have power to weeld my sword,\n \u00a0\u00a0Ile fight with hart and hand.\"\nOur English archers bent their bowes,\n \u00a0\u00a0Their harts were good and trew;\n Att the first flight of arrowes sent,\n \u00a0\u00a0Full four-score Scots they slew.\n[Yet bides Earl Douglas on the bent,\n \u00a0\u00a0As Chieftain stout and good,\n As valiant Captain, all unmov'd\n \u00a0\u00a0The shock he firmly stood.\nHis host he parted had in three,\n \u00a0\u00a0As Leader ware and try'd,\n And soon his spearmen on their foes\n \u00a0\u00a0Bare down on every side.\nThroughout the English archery\n \u00a0\u00a0They dealt full many a wound;\n But still our valiant Englishmen\n \u00a0\u00a0All firmly kept their ground.\nAnd throwing strait their bows away,\n \u00a0\u00a0They grasp'd their swords so bright:\n And now sharp blows, a heavy shower,\n \u00a0\u00a0On shields and helmets light.]\nThey clos'd full fast on everye side,\n \u00a0\u00a0Noe slacknes there was found;\n And many a gallant gentleman\n \u00a0\u00a0Lay gasping on the ground.\nO Christ! it was a griefe to see,\n \u00a0\u00a0And likewise for to heare,\n The cries of men lying in their gore,\n \u00a0\u00a0And scattered here and there.\nAt last these two stout erles did meet,\n \u00a0\u00a0Like captaines of great might;\n Like lyons wood they layd on lode,\n \u00a0\u00a0And made a cruell fight.\nThey fought, untill they both did sweat,\n \u00a0\u00a0With swords of tempered steele;\n Until the blood, like drops of rain,\n \u00a0\u00a0They trickling downe did feele.\n\"Yeeld thee, Lord Percy,\" Douglas sayd\n \u00a0\u00a0\"In faith I will thee bringe,\n Where thou shalt high advanc\u00e8d bee\n \u00a0\u00a0By James our Scottish king.\n\"Thy ransom I will freely give,\n \u00a0\u00a0And thus report of thee,\n Thou art the most couragious knight\n \u00a0\u00a0That ever I did see.\"\n\"Noe, Douglas,\" quoth Erle Percy then,\n \u00a0\u00a0\"Thy proffer I doe scorne\n I will not yeelde to any Scott,\n \u00a0\u00a0That ever yett was borne.\"\nWith that, there came an arrow keene\n \u00a0\u00a0Out of an English bow,\n Which struck Erle Douglas to the heart,\n \u00a0\u00a0A deepe and deadlye blow:\nWho never spake more words than these,\n \u00a0\u00a0\"Fight on, my merry men all;\n For why, my life is at an end:\n \u00a0\u00a0Lord Percy sees my fall.\"\nThen leaving liffe, Erle Percy tooke\n \u00a0\u00a0The dead man by the hand;\n And said, \"Erle Douglas, for thy life\n \u00a0\u00a0Wold I had lost my land!\n\"O Christ! my verry hart doth bleed\n \u00a0\u00a0With sorrow for thy sake;\n For sure, a more renown\u00e8d knight\n \u00a0\u00a0Mischance cold never take.\"\nA knight amongst the Scotts there was,\n \u00a0\u00a0Which saw Erle Douglas dye,\n Who streight in wrath did vow revenge\n \u00a0\u00a0Upon the Lord Percye;\nSir Hugh Mountgomerye was he call'd,\n \u00a0\u00a0Who, with a spere most bright,\n Well-mounted on a gallant steed,\n \u00a0\u00a0Ran fiercely through the fight;\nAnd past the English archers all,\n \u00a0\u00a0Without all dread or feare,\n And through Earl Percyes body then\n \u00a0\u00a0He thrust his hatefull spere\nWith such a vehement force and might\n \u00a0\u00a0He did his body gore,\n The speare ran through the other side\n \u00a0\u00a0A large cloth-yard, and more.\nSo thus did both these nobles dye,\n \u00a0\u00a0Whose courage none could staine;\n An English archer then perceiv'd\n \u00a0\u00a0The noble erle was slaine.\nHe had a bow bent in his hand,\n \u00a0\u00a0Made of a trusty tree;\n An arrow of a cloth-yard long\n \u00a0\u00a0Up to the head drew hee.\nAgainst Sir Hugh Mountgomerye,\n \u00a0\u00a0So right the shaft he sett,\n The grey goose-wing that was thereon\n \u00a0\u00a0In his harts bloode was wett.\nThis fight did last from breake of day\n \u00a0\u00a0Till setting of the sun;\n For when they rung the evening bell,\n \u00a0\u00a0The battel scarce was done.\nWith stout Erle Percy, there was slaine,\n \u00a0\u00a0Sir John of Egerton,\n Sir Robert Ratcliff, and Sir John,\n \u00a0\u00a0Sir James, that bold Bar\u00f2n.\nAnd with Sir George and stout Sir James,\n \u00a0\u00a0Both knights of good account,\n Good Sir Ralph Rabby there was slaine,\n \u00a0\u00a0Whose prowesse did surmount.\nFor Witherington needs must I wayle,\n \u00a0\u00a0As one in doleful dumpes;\n For when his legs were smitten off,\n \u00a0\u00a0He fought upon his stumpes.\nAnd with Erle Douglas, there was slaine\n \u00a0\u00a0Sir Hugh Mountgomerye,\n Sir Charles Murray, that from the feeld\n \u00a0\u00a0One foote wold never flee.\nSir Charles Murray of Ratcliff, too,\n \u00a0\u00a0His sisters sonne was hee;\n Sir David Lamb, so well esteem'd,\n \u00a0\u00a0Yet sav\u00e8d cold not bee.\nAnd the Lord Maxwell in like case\n \u00a0\u00a0Did with Erle Douglas dye;\n Of twenty hundred Scottish speres,\n \u00a0\u00a0Scarce fifty-five did flye.\nOf fifteen hundred Englishmen,\n \u00a0\u00a0Went home but fifty-three;\n The rest were slaine in Chevy-Chace,\n \u00a0\u00a0Under the greene wood tree.\nNext day did many widowes come,\n \u00a0\u00a0Their husbands to bewayle;\n They washt their wounds in brinish teares,\n \u00a0\u00a0But all wold not prevayle.\nTheyr bodyes, bathed in purple blood,\n \u00a0\u00a0They bore with them away:\n They kist them dead a thousand times,\n \u00a0\u00a0Ere they were cladd in clay.\nThis newes was brought to Eddenborrow,\n \u00a0\u00a0Where Scotlands king did raigne,\n That brave Erle Douglas suddenlye\n \u00a0\u00a0Was with an arrow slaine.\n\"O heavy newes,\" King James did say;\n \u00a0\u00a0\"Scottland can witnesse bee,\n I have not any captaine more\n \u00a0\u00a0Of such account as hee.\"\nLike tydings to King Henry came,\n \u00a0\u00a0Within as short a space,\n That Percy of Northumberland\n \u00a0\u00a0Was slaine in Chevy-Chace.\n\"Now God be with him,\" said our king,\n \u00a0\u00a0\"Sith it will noe better bee;\n I trust I have, within my realme,\n \u00a0\u00a0Five hundred as good as hee.\n\"Yett shall not Scotts nor Scotland say,\n \u00a0\u00a0But I will vengeance take,\n I'll be reveng\u00e8d on them all,\n \u00a0\u00a0For brave Erle Percyes sake.\"\nThis vow full well the king perform'd\n \u00a0\u00a0After, at Humbledowne;\n In one day, fifty knights were slayne,\n \u00a0\u00a0With lordes of great renowne.\nAnd of the rest, of small account,\n \u00a0\u00a0Did many thousands dye:\n Thus endeth the hunting in Chevy-Chace,\n \u00a0\u00a0Made by the Erle Percy.\nGod save our king, and bless this land\n \u00a0\u00a0In plentye, joy, and peace;\n And grant henceforth, that foule debate\n \u00a0\u00a0'Twixt noblemen may cease!","title":"A Book of Old English Ballads: Chevy Chace","type":"page"}