GOD prosper long our noble king, Our lives and safeties all; A woeful hunting once there did In Chevy Chase befall:- To drive the dear with hound and horn, Earl Piercy took his 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 Scott sh woods Three summer's days to take. The chiefest hearts in Chevy Chase To kill and bear away; The tidings to Earl Douglas came, In Scotlaud where he lay. Who sent Earl Piercy present word, He would prevent his sport: The English Earl not fearing this, Did to the woods resort. With fifteen hundred bow-men 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, When day-light did appear. And long before high-noon they had An hundred fat bucks slain; Then having din'd, the drovers went To rouse them up again. The bow-men mustered on the hills, Well able to endure; Their back-sides all, with special care, That day were garded sure. The hounds ran swiftly thro' the woods, The nimbled deer to take, And with their cries the hills and dales An eccho shrill did make. Lord Piercy to the quarry went, To view the tender deer; Quoth he, Earl Douglas promised This day to meet me here. If that 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; Then cease your sport, Earl Piercy said, And take your bows with speed. And now with me, my countrymen, Your courage forth advance; For never was there champion yet, In Scotland or in France, That ever did on horseback come, But, since my hap it were, I durst encounter man for man, With him to break a spear. Earl Douglas on a milk-white steed, Most like a baron bold, Rode foremost of the company, Whose armour shone like gold. Shew me, he said, whose men you be, That hunt so boldly here; That, without my consent, do chase And kill my fallow deer? The man that first did answer make, Was noble Piercy he; Who said, we lift not to declare, Nor shew whose men we be. Yet we will spend our dearest blood, Thy chiefest hart to slay. Then Douglas swore a solemn oath, And thus in rage did say; E're thus I will out braved 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 harmless men, For they have done no ill. Let thou and I the battle try, And set our men aside? Accurs'd be he, Lord Piercy said, By whom this is deny'd. Then step'd a gallant 'squire forth, Witherington was his name, Who said, I would not have it told To HENRY our king for shame, That e're my captain fought on foot, And I stood looking on. You be two earls, said 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 To drive the deer with hound and horn, Earl Douglas had the bent; A captain mov'd with mickle pride, The spears to shivers sent. They clos'd full fast on ev'ry side, No slackness there was found; And 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 scatter'd here and there. At last these two stout earls did meet, Like captains of great might; Like lions mov'd they laid on load, And made a cruel fight. They fought until they both did sweat, With swords of temper'd steel, Until the blood, like drops of rain, They tricking down did feel. Yield thee, Lord Piercy, Douglas said; In faith I will thee bring, Where thou shalt hight advanced be By JAMES our Scottish king. Thy ransom I will freely give, And thus report of thee, Thou art the most couragious knight, That ever I did see. To Dougless, 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 spoke more words than these, Fight on, my merry men all; For why, my life is at an end; Lord Piercy, sees my fall? Then leading life, Earl Piercy took The dead man by the hand; And said, Earl Douglas, for thy life Would I had lost my land. O Christ! my very heart doth bleed, With sorrow for thy sake; For sure, a more renowned knight Mischance did never take. A knight amongst the Scots there was, Which saw Earl Douglas die, Who straight in wrath did vow revenge Upon the Earl Piercy. Sir Hugh Montgom'ry he was call'd, Who, with a spear most bright, Well mounted on a gallant steed, Ran fiercely thro' the fight; And pass'd the English archers all, Without all dread or fear; And thro' Earl Piercy's body then He thrust his hateful spear. With such a veh'ment force and might He did his body gore, The spear went thro' the other side A large cloth-yard or more. So thus did both these nobles die, Whose courage none could stain. An English archer then perceiv'd The noble earl was slain; He had a bow bent in his hand, Made of a trusty tree; An arrow of a cloth-yard long Up to the head drew he. Against sir Hugh Montgomery, So right his shaft he set, The grey goose wing that was thereon, In his hearts blood was wet. This fight did last from break of day, Till setting of the sun; For when they rung the ev'ning bell, The battle scarce was done. With the Earl Piercy, there were slain Sir John of Ogerton, Sir Robert Ratcliff and sir John, Sir James that bold baron. And with sir George and good sir James, Both knights of good account, Good sir Ralph Rabby there was slain, Whose prowess did surmount. For With'rington needs must I wail, As one in doleful dumps; For when his legs were smitten off, He fought upon his stumps. And with Earl Douglas, there were slain Sir Hugh Montgomery; Sir Charles Currel, that from the field One foot would never fly. Sir Charles Murrel, of Ratcliff, too, His sister's son was he; Sir David Lamb, so well esteem'd, They saved could not be. And the lord Maxwell in likewise Did with Earl Douglas dye: Of twenty hundred Scottish spears, Scarce fifty five did fly. Of fifteen hundred English men, Went home but fifty three; The rest were slain in Chevy Chase, Under the green wood tree. Next day did many widows come, Their husbands to bewail; They wash'd their wounds in brinish tears, But all would not prevail. Their bodies, bath in purple blood, They bore with them away; They kiss'd them dead a thousand times, When they were clad in clay. This news was brought to Edinburgh, Where Scotland's king did reign, That brave Earl Douglas suddenly Was with an arrow slain. O heavy news, king JAMES did say; Scotland can witness be, I have not any captain more Of such account as he. Like tidings to king HENRY came, Within as short a space, That Piercy of Northumberland Was slain in Chevy Chase. Now God be with him, said our king. Saith 'twill no better be; I trust I have, within my realm, Five hundred as good as he. Yet shall not Scot nor Scotland say, But I will vengeance take, And be revenged on them all, For brave Earl Piercy's sake. This vow full well the king perform'd After, on Humbledown; In one day, fifty knights were slain, With lords of great renown. And of the rest, of small account, Did many thousands die: Thus ended the hunting of Chevy Chase, Made by the Earl Piercy. God save the king, and bless the laud In plenty, joy and peace; And grant henceforth, that foul debate 'Twixt noblemen may cease.