A Bundle of Ballads [6]
with weeping tears came to fetch their makis away. Tivydale may carp of care, Northumberland may make great moan, For two such captains as slain were there on the March parti shall never be none. Word is comen to Edinborough to Jamy the Scottish king, That doughty Douglas, lieutenant of the Marches, he lay slain Cheviot within. His hand-es did he weal and wring; he said, "Alas! and woe is me: Such another captain Scotland within," he said, "yea faith should never be." Word is comen to lovely London, to the fourth Harry our king, That Lord Perc-y, lieutenant of the Marches, he lay slain Cheviot within. "God have mercy on his soul," said King Harry, "good Lord, if thy will it be, I have a hundred captains in England," he said, "as good as ever was he; But Percy, an I brook my life, thy death well quite shall be." As our noble king made his avow, like a noble prince of renown, For the death of the Lord Perc-y he did the battle of Homildoun, Where six and thirty Scottish knights on a day were beaten down; Glendale glittered on their armour bright, over castle, tower, and town. This was the hunting of the Cheviot; that tear began this spurn; Old men that knowen the ground well enough call it the battle of Otterburn. At Otterburn began this spurn upon a Monenday; There was the doughty Douglas slain, the Percy never went away. There was never a time on the March part-es sen the Douglas and the Percy met, But it is marvel an the red blood run not as the rain does in the stret. Jesu Christ our balis bete, and to the bliss us bring! Thus was the hunting of the Cheviot. God send us all good ending!
CHEVY CHASE (the later version.)
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;
CHEVY CHASE (the later version.)
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;