English Songs and Ballads Part 12

CHEVY CHASE

PART I

G.o.d prosper long our n.o.ble King, Our lives and safeties all!

A woeful Hunting once there did In Chevy Chase befall.

To drive the deer, with hound and horn, 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 G.o.d 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.

Lord Percy, to the quarry went, To view the slaughtered deer, Quoth he, 'Earl Douglas promised 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?'

The first man that did answer make, Was n.o.ble 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 outbraved 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.'

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 s.h.i.+vers 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 advanced 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 Percy 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 Percy sees my fall!'

Then leaving life, Earl Percy took The dead man by the hand, Who said, 'Earl Douglas, for thy sake, 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!'