God prosper long our noble 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 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.
