A memorable song upon the unhappy hunting in Chevy Chase, beweene the Earle
Pearcy of England , and Earle Dowglas of Scotland . To the tune of Flying Fame .
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G Od prosper long our Noble King
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our lives and safeties all,
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A wofull hunting once there did
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in Chevy Chase befall
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To drive the deere with hound & horne,
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Earle Pearcy tooke his way,
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The child may rue that is unborne,
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the hunting of that day:
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The stout Earle of Northumberland ,
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a vow to God did make,
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His pleasure in the Scottish woods,
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three Summers dayes to take;
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The chiefest Harts in Chevy Chase
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to kill and beare away,
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Those tidings to Earle Dowglas came,
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in Scotland where he lay.
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Who sent Earle Piercy present word,
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he would prevent his sport;
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Tho English Earle not fearing this,
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did to the woods resort,
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With fifteene hundred bowmen bold,
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all chosen men of might,
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Who knew full weel in time of need,
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to ayme their shafts aright.
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The gallant gray-hounds swiftly ran,
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to chase the Fallow Deere,
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On munday they began to hunt
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when daylight did appeare?
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And long before high noone they had
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a hundred fat Bucks slaine:
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Then having dind the Drovers went
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to rowze the Deere againe.
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The bowmen mustered on the hils
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well able to endure,
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Their backesides all with speciall care,
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that day were guarded sure:
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The hounds ran swiftly through the woods
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the humble Deere to take,
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That with their cryes the hils & dales
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an Eccho shrill did make.
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Lord Piercy to the Quarry went,
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to view the tender Deere,
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Quod he, Earle Dowglas promis'd once
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this day to meete me here:
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But if I thought he would not come,
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no longer would I stay
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With that a brave yong Gentleman
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thus to the Earle did say.
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Loe yonder doth Earle Dowglas come,
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his men in armour bright,
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Full twenty hundred Scottish speares
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all marching in our sight:
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All pleasant men of Tinedale
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fast by the river Tweed ,
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Then cease your sport E. Piercy said,
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and take your bowes with speed.
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And now with me my Countrymen,
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your courage forth advance,
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For never was there Champion yet
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in Scotland or in France :
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That ever did on horsebacke come,
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but if my hap it were,
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I durst encounter man for man,
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with him to breake a Speare,
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E. Dowglas on his milke white Steed,
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(most like a Baron bold)
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Rode formost of his company,
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whose armour shone like Gold:
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Show me, said he, whose men yee bee,
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that hunt so boldly here,
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That without my consent doe chase
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and kill my Fallow Deere.
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The man that first did answere make,
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was Noble Piercy he,
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Who said we list not to declare,
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nor shew whose men we be:
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Yet will we spend our dearest blood,
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thy chiefest Harts to slay,
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Then Dowglas swore a solemne oath,
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and thus in rage did say.
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Ere thus I will out-braved be,
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one of us two shall dye,
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I know thee well an Earle thou art
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Lord Piercy so am I:
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But trust me Piercy pittie it were:
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and great offence to kill,
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Any of these our guiltlesse men,
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for they have done none ill.
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Let thou and I the battell try,
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and let our men aside,
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Accurst be he, Earle Piercy said,
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by whom it is denide:
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Then stept a gallant Squier forth,
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Witherington was his name,
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Who sayd I would not have it told
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to Henry our King for shame.
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That ere my Captaine fought on foot,
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and I stand looking on,
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You two be Earles quod, Witherington ,
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and I a squire alone:
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Ile doe the best that doe I may,
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while I have power to stand,
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While I have power to wield my sword
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Ile fight with heart and hand.
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Our English archers bent their bowes,
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their hearts were good and true,
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At the first flight of arrowes sent,
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full fourescore Scots they slew:
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To drive the Deere with hound & horne
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Dowglas bade on the bent,
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A Captaine mov'd with mickle pride,
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the Speares to shivers went.
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They cloz'd full fast on every side,
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no slacknesse there was found,
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And many a gallant Gentleman
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lay gasping on the ground:
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O Christ it was a griefe to see,
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how each one chose his Speare,
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And how the blood out of their breast
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did gush like water cleere.
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At last these two stout Earles did meet
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like Captaines of great might,
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Like Lyons mov'd they laid on load,
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and made a cruell fight:
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They fought untill they both did sweat
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with swords of tempered steele,
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Untill the blood like drops of raine,
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they trickling downe d[id] feele.
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Yeeld thee Lord Piercy Dowglas said,
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in faith I will thee bring,
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Where thou shalt high advanced be,
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with James our Scottish King:
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Thy ransome I will freely give
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and this report of thee,
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Thou art the most couragious Knight
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that ever I did see.
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No Dowglas , quoth Earle [Pi ]ercy t[hen]
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thy proffers I doe scorn
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I will not yeeld to any Scot
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that ever yet was borne:
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With that there came an arrow keene
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out of an English bow,
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And stroke Earle Dowglas to the heart
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a deepe and deadly blow.
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Who never sayd more words then these
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fight on my merry men all,
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For why my life is at an end,
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Lord Piercy sees my fall,
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Then leaving life Earle Piercy tooke
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the dead man by the hand,
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Who said, Earle Dowglas for thy life
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would I had lost my Land.
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O Christ my very heart doth bleed,
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with sorrow for thy sake:
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For sure a more redoubted Knight
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mischance could never take:
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A Knight among the Scots there was
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which saw Earle Dowglas dye,
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Who straight in wrath did vow revenge
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upon the Earle Piercy .
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The second part To the same tume
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S Ir Hugh Montgomery was he cald,
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who with a Speare full bright,
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Well mounted on a gallant Steed,
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ran fiercely through the fight:
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And past the English Archers all,
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without all dread or feare,
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And through Earle Piercies body then
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he thrust his hatefull Speare.
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With such a vehement force and might,
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his body he did gore,
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The staffe ran through the other side,
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a large cloth yeard and more:
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Thus did both these two Nobles dye,
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whose courage none could staine,
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An English Archer then perceiv'd
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the noble Earle was slaine.
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He had a good bow in his hand,
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made of a trusty tree,
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An arrow of a cloth yard long
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to the hard head haled he:
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Against Sir Hugh Montgomery ,
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so right his shaft he set,
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The gray-goose wing that was thereon
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in his heart blood was wet.
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This fight did last from breake of day,
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t[il]l setting of the Sunne,
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For when they rung the evening Bell,
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the battel scarce was done:
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With stout E. Piercy there was slaine,
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Sir John of Ogerton ,
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Sir R [o ]b [e ]rt Harckliffe and Sir John ,
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Sir James that bold Baron.
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And with sir George and good sir James
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both Knights of good account,
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Good sir Ralph Rebb [y ] there was slaine,
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whose prowesse did sirmount:
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For Witherington needs must I waile,
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as one in wofull dumps.
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For when his legs were smitten off,
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he fought still upon stumps.
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And with E. Dowglas there was slaine,
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Sir Hugh Montgomery ,
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Sir Charles Morell , that from the field,
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one foot would never flye:
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Sir Robert Heuer of Harcliffe too,
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his sisters sonne was hee,
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Sir David Lamwell well esteem'd,
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but sav'd he could not be.
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And the Lord Markwell in like case,
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did with E. Dowglas dye,
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Of twenty hundred Scottish Peeres,
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scarce fifty five did flye.
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Of fifteene hundred English men,
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went home but fifty three,
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The rest in Chevy Chase were slaine,
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under the greene wood tree.
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Next day did many widdowes come,
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their husbands to bewayle,
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They washt their wounds in brinish teares,
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but all would not prevaile:
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Their bodies bath'd in purple blood,
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they bore with them away,
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They kist them dead a thousand times,
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ere they were clad in clay.
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The newes was brought to Edenbrogh
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where Scotlands King did raigne,
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That brave Earle Dowglas suddenly
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was with an arrow slaine:
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O heavy newes King James did say,
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Scotland can witnesse bee,
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I have not any Captaine more,
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of such account as hee.
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Like tydings to King Henry came,
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within as short a space,
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That Piercy of Northumberland ,
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was slaine in Chevy Chase:
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Now God be with him said our King,
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sith twill no better be,
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I trust I have within my Realms,
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five hundred as good as hee.
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Yet shall not Scots nor Scotland say,
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but I will vengeance take,
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And be revenged on them all
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for brave Earle Piercies sake:
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This vow the King did well performe,
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after on Humble Downe,
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In one day fiftie Knights were slaine,
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with Lords of high renowne.
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And of the rest of small account,
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did many hundreds dye,
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Thus ended the hunting in Chevy Chase
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made by the Lord Piercy :
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God save our King and blesse this Land
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with plenty, joy, and peace
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And grant henceforth that foule debate,
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twixt Noblemen may cease.
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