A Memoriable Song on the unhappy hunting in Chevy Chase between Earle Piercy of England
and Earle Dowglas of Scoland.
To the tune of Flying Fame.
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GOd prosper long our Noble King,
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our lives and safetyes all,
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The wofull hunting once there did
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in Cheevy Chase befaill
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To drive the Deer with hound and horne
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Earle Piercy took his way,
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The child may rue that is unborn
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the hunting of that day.
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The stout Earl of Northumberland
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a vow to God did make,
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[Hi]s 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 bear away,
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[These tid]ings to Earl Dowglas came,
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[in Scot]and where he lay,
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[Who sent Earle Pie]rcy present word,
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[he would preven]t his sport,
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[The English E]arl not fearing this,
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[did to the w]oods resort
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[With fifee]n hundred Bowmen bold,
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[all chosen m]en of might,
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[Who knew f]ull wel in time of need
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[to aim t]here shafts aright.
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[The gala]nt Gray-hounds swiftly ran
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[to chase the] Fallow Deere,
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[On Monday] they began to hunt.
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[when day-]light did appear,
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[And long befo]re high noon they had
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[an hundred] fat Bucks slain,
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[Then ha]ving dind the Drovers went
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[to row]se them up again
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[The Bow]men mustred on the Hils
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[well able to] endure
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[The backsides] all with special care
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[that day] were guarded sure:
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[T]he hounds ran swiftly through the woods
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[th]e nimble Deere to take,
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[A]nd with their cries the Hils and Dales
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an Eccho shrill did make
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[L]ord Piercy to the Quarrey went
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To vew the tender Deere,
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[Qu]oth he Earle Dowglas promised
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this day to meet me here:
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[B]ut if I thought he would not come,
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no longer would I stay,
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[W]ith that a brave young Gentleman
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thus to the Earle did say,
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Lo yonder doth Earl Dowglas come,
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his men in armoar bright,
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Full twenty hundred Scottish spears
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all marching in our sight.
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[A]ll men of pleasant Tividale
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fall by the Rivers Tweed.
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Then cease your sport Earl Piercy said,
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and take your Bowes with speed.
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And now with me my Countreymen
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your courage forth advance,
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For never was there Champion yet
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to Scotland or in France,
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That ever did on horseback come,
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but if my hap it were
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durst encounter man for man
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with him to break a Spear.
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Earl Dowglas on a milk white Steed,
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most like a Baron bold,
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Rode foremost of the company,
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whose armour shone like gold.
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Shew me he said whose men you be,
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that hunt so boldly here,
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That without my consent do chase
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and kill my fallow Deer?
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The man that first did answer 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 wil we spend our dearest blood.
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thy chiefest Harts to slay
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Then Dowglas swore a solemn Oath,
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and thus in rage did say:
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Ere thus I wil out-braved be,
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one of us two shall dye,
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I know thee well an Earl thou art,
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Lord Piercy so am I:
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But trust me Piercy pitty 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 no ill:
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Let thou and I the battel try,
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and set our men aside,
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Accurst be he Lord Piercy said,
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by whom this is denyd.
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Then stept a gallant Squire forth,
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Witherington was his name,
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Who said he would not have it told
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to Henry our King for shame,
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That ever my Captain fought on foot,
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and I stood looking on:
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You two be Earles said Witherington,
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and I a Squire alone:
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Ile do the best that do I may,
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while I have power to stand,
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While I have power to weild my sword,
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Ile fight with heart and hand.
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Our English Archers bent their Bows,
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their hearts were good and true,
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At the first sight of Arrows sent,
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full four score Scots th[ey] flue,
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To ortve the Deer with hound and horn
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Dowglas had on the bent,
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A Captain movd with mickle pride.
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the Spears to shivers went.
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They closd fullfast 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 great grief to see,
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and likewise for to heare,
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The cryes of men lying in their gore,
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and scattered here and there.
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At last these two stout Earles did meet,
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like Captains of great might,
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Like Lyons movd they laid on load
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and made a cruel fight:
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They fought until they both did sweat,
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with swords of tempered steele,
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Until the blood like drops of rain.
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they trickling down did feele.
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Yeild thee Lord Piercy Dowglas said,
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in faith I wilt thee bring
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Were thou shalt high advanced be,
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by James the Scottish King.
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Thy Ransome wil I freely give,
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and thus report of thee,
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Thou art the most couragious Knight
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as ever I did see.
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No Dowglas quoth Earle Piercy then.
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thy proffer I doe scorn,
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I will not yeild to any Scot
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that ever yet was born,
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With that there came an Arrow keen
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out of an English Bow,
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Which struck Earle Dowglas to the hear
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a deep and deadly blow.
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Who never spake mere words then these
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Fighr 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 took
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the dead man by the hand,
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And 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 renowned Knight
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mischance did never take.
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A knight amongst the Scots there was,
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which saw Earl 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 tune,
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SIr Hugh Mongomery was he cal[]d,
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who with a Speare full bright,
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Wel 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 [ha]teful Speare.
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With such a vehement force and might,
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he did his body gore,
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The Speare went through the other side,
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a large cloth yard and more.
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So thus did both those Nobles dye,
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whose courage none could stain,
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An English Archer then perceivd
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the Noble Earle was stain:
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He had a Bow bent 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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unto the head drew he:
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Against Sir Hugh Montgomery then,
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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 break of day,
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till setting of the Sun,
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For when they rung the Evening Bell,
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the Battel scarce was [d]one.
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With the Earle Piercy there was slain
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Sir John of Ogerton
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Sir Robert Ratliffe 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 Fabby there was slain:
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whose prowesse did surmount:
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For Witherington needs must I wail,
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as one in dolefull dumps,
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For when his legges were smitten oft,
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he fought upon his stumps.
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And with Earle Dowglas there was slain
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Sir Hugh Montgomery,
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Sir Cherles Murrel that from the Field
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one foot would never flye.
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Sir Charles Murrel of Ratliffe too,
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his sisters sisters Son was he,
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Sir David Lamb so well esteemed
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yet saves could not be.
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And the Lord Markwel in likewise,
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did with Earle Dowglas die
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Of twenty hundred Scotish peers
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scarce fiftyfive did flye.
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Of fifteen hundred English men
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went home but fifty thre
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The rest were slain in Cheevy Chase
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under the green wood t ree
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Next day did many widows come
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their husbands to bewail,
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They washt their wounds in brinish tears
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but all would not prevail:
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Their bodies bathd 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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when they were clad in clay.
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This news was brought to Edenburgh,
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where Scotlands King did reign,
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That brave Earle Douglas suddenly
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was with an Arrow slain.
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O heavy Newes King Jomes did say,
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Scotland can witnesse be,
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I have not any Captain more
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of such account as he.
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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 Northumbersland
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was slain 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 Realm
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five hundred as good as he.
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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 full well the King performd,
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after on Humble Down,
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In one day fifty Knights were slain,
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with Lords of great renown.
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And of therest of small account
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did many hundreds dye,
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T[h]us ended the hunting in Chevy Chase,
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made by the Earle Piercy.
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God save the King and blesse the Land[,]
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in Plenty, Joy, and Peace,
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And grant henceforth that fouls debate
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twixt Noble-men may cease.
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