A Memorable Song, on the lamentable, bloody, and unhap-
py Hunting at Chevychase. Betwixt Earle Dowglas of SCOTLAND,
and Earle Piercy of ENGLAND.
To the Tune of, The Yle of Kyle.
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GOD prosper long our noble King,
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our lives and safeties all;
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A wofull hunting once their did
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in Chevychase befall:
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To drive the Deer with Hound and Horn
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Earl 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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2. 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 Summer days to take;
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The choisest Harts of Chevychase
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to kill and bear away.
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These tidings to Earl Dowglas came,
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in Scotland where he lay.
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3 Who sent Earl Piercy present word,
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he would prevent his sport;
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The English Earl not fearing this,
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did to the Woods resort:
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With twenty hundred Bow-men bold,
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all chosen men of might;
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Who knew full well in time of need,
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to aim their shafts aright,
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4 The gallant gray Hounds swiftly run,
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to chase the Fallow Deer;
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On Munday they began to hunt,
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when day-light did appear:
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And long before high noon they had
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an hundred fat Bucks slain,
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Then having dind, the Drovers went
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to rowse them up again.
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5. The Bow-men mustred on the Hills,
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well able to endure;
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The back sides all with spetial care
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that d[ay] were guarded sure:
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The Hounds ran swiftly through the Wood
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the nimble Deer to take,
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And with their cryes the Hills and Dailes
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an Echo shril did make.
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6, Lord Piercy to the Quarrie went,
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to view the tender Deer;
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Quoth he, Earle Dowglas promised
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this day to meet me here:
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But if I knew he would not come,
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no longer would I stay;
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With that a brave young Gentleman
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thus to the Earle did say,
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7. Lo yonder doth Lord Dowglas come,
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his men in Armour bright;
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Full fifteen hundred Scottish spears,
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all marching in our fight:
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All men of pleasant of Tevidale,
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dwells by the River Tweed;
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Then cease your sport Earle Piercy said,
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and take your Bowes with speed.
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8 And now with me my Countrey-men,
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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 Horse-back 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 break a spear.
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9. Lord Dowglas on a milk-white steed,
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most like a Barron bold;
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Rod foremost of the companie,
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whose Armour shind like Gold:
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Shew me he said whose men ye be,
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that hunt so boldlie here,
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That without my consent do chase
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and kill my fallow Deer,
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10. 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 will we spend our dearest blood,
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the 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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11. Ere thus I will outbraved 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 those our guiltless men,
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for they have done no ill.
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12 Let thee and me the battle 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 denid:
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Then stept a gallant Squyre forth,
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Witherington was h[i]s 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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13. That ever my Captain fought on foot,
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and I stood looking on;
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You be two Lords said Witherington,
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and I a Squyre alone:
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Ile do the best that I may do,
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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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14. Our Scotish Archers bent their Bows,
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their hearts were good and true;
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At the first flight of Arrows sent,
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four-score English they sl[e]w:
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To drive the Deer with H[o]und 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 in shivers went.
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15. They closd full fast on every side,
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no slackness 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 but it was great grief to see,
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and likewise for to hear;
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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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16. At last those two stout Lords did meet,
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like Captains of great might;
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Like Lions movd they laid on load
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and made a cruell sight:
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They fought untill the both did sweat,
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with swords of tempered steel;
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Untill the blood like drops of rain,
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they trickling down did feel
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17. 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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by 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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18. No, (Dowglas) quoth Lord Piercy then,
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thy proffer I do scorn.
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I will not yeeld 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 heart
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a deep and deadly blow.
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19 Who never spake 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 Pier[c]y sees my fall,
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Then leaving life, Lord Piercy took
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the dead man by the hand.
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And said, Lord Dowglas, for thy life
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would I had lost my land.
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20 O but 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 Earle Dowglas die;
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Who straight in wrath did vow revenge
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upon the Earle Piercy.
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21 Sir Hiugh Montgomerie was he calld,
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who with a Spear full bright;
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Well mounted on a gallant Steed,
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ran fiercly through the fight:
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He past the English Archers all,
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without all dread or fear,
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And through Earle Piercies body then
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he thrust his hateful Spear.
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22. With surh a vehement force and might
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he did his body gore,
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The Spear went through the other side
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a large cloath yard and more:
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So thus did both these Nobles die,
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whose courage none could stain;
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An English Archer even perceivd
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the noble Lord was slain.
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23 He had a Bow bent in his hand,
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made of a trustie tree;
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An Arrow of a cloath-yard length
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unto the head drew he:
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Against Sir Hiugh Montgomerie then
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so right his shaft be 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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24. 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 done:
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With the Lord Piercy there was slain
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Sir John of Ogertone,
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Sir Robert Ratcliff, and Sir John,
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Sir James that bold barron.
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25. Sir George also and good Sir I
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both Knights of good account;
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Good Sir Ralph Roby there was slain,
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whose prowesse did surmount:
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For Witherington I needs must wail,
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as one in doleful dumps;
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For when his legs were smitten off,
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he fought still on the stumps,
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26 And with Earle Dowglas there was slain
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Sir Hiugh Montgomerie;
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Sir Charles Murray that from the field
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one foot would never flee:
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Sir Charles Murray of Ratcliff too,
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his sisters son was he;
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Sir David Lamb so well esteemd,
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yet saveth could not be.
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27. And the Lord Marwel in likewise,
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did with Earl Dowglas die;
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Of fifteen hundred Scotish spears
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went home but fifty three:
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Of twenty hundred English men,
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scarce fiftie five did flee;
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The rest were slain in Chevychase
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under the green-wood Tree.
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28. 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 could not previl:
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Their bodies bathd in purple blood,
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they bore with them away;
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They kissd them dead a thousand times
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when they were clade in clay.
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29 The news was brought to Edinburgh,
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where Scotlands King did reign,
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That brave Earl Dowglas suddenly,
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was with an Arrow slain:
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Now God be with him, said our King,
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sith twil 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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50 Like tideings to King Henry came,
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within as short a space;
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That Piercie of Northumberland
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was slain in Chevychase:
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O heavie News, King Hendry said,
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England can wittness be,
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I have not any Captain more
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of such account as he.
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31. Now of the rest of smal account
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did many hundreds die,
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Thus ended the hunting of Chevychase
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made by the Earle Piercy:
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God save the King, and bless the Land,
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with plenty, joy, and peace.
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And grant henceforth that foul debates,
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twixt Noblemen may cease.
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