A memorable Song on the unhappy Hunting in Chevy-Chase, betweene Earle Piercy of England, and
Earle Dowglas of Scotland. To the Tune of, Flying Fame
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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 there did
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in Chevy Chase befall:
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To drive the Deere with hound and horne
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Earle Piercy 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 hid make,
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His pleasure in the Scottish Woods,
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three Summers days 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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These tydings 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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The English Earle not fearing this,
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did to the Woods resort,
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With fifteene hundred Bow-men bold
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all chosen men of might,
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Who knew full well in time of warre,
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to aime there shafts aright.
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The gallant Grayhounds 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 day-light did appeare,
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And long before high noone they had,
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an hundred fat Bucks slaine,
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Then having dind the Drovers went,
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to rowse them up againe.
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The Bow-men mustred on the hills,
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well able to endure,
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Their back-sides all with speciall care
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that day was guarded sure.
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The Hounds ran swiftly through the woods
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the nimble Deere to take,
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That with their cryes the Hils and Dales
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an Eccho shrill did maky.
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Lord Piercy to the Quarry went,
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to view the tender Deere,
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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 thought 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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Loe, yonder doth Earle Dowglas come,
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his men in Armour bright,
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Full fifteene hundred Scottish Speares,
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all marching in our sight,
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All pleasant men of Tevidale,
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fast 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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And now with me my Countreymen
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your courage foorth 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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and 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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Earle Dowglas on a milke white Steed,
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most like a Baron bold,
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Rode foremost of the companie,
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whose Armour shone like Gold:
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Shew me said he whose men you be,
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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 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 tell whose men we be,
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Yet we will 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 inrage did say;
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Ere thus I will out braved be,
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one of us two shall die,
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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, pitty twere,
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and great offence to kill:
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Any of these our harmelesse 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 whome it is denyd.
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Then stept a gallant Squire foorth,
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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 ere my Captaine fought one foot,
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and I stood looking on;
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You two be Earles, quoth 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 there Bowes
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there 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 and horne
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Dowglas bad on the bent.
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A Captaine movd with mickle pride
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the Speares to shivers went.
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They closd 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 were a griefe to see,
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and likewise for to heare,
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The cryes of men lying in there gore,
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and scattered here and there.
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At last the two stout Earles did meet,
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like Captaines of great might,
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Like Lyons movd 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 did feele.
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Yield 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 will I 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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as ever I did see.
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No Dowglas, quoth Earle Piercy then,
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thy proffers I doe scorne,
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I will not yield 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 struck Earle Dowglas to the heart,
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a deepe and deadly blow:
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Who never spake more words than 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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Earle Piercy sees me 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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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 t]hy sake.
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For sure [a more redoubted] Knight
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mischa[nce did never take.]
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A Knigh[t amongst the Scots there was,]
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which sa[w Earle Dowglas dye]
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Who strai[ght in wrath did vow revenge]
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upon the E[arle Piercy]
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The Second part, to the same tune.
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SIr 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 staff ran through the other side
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a large Cloth yard or more:
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Thus did both these stout Nobles dye,
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whose courage none could staine:
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An English Archer then perceivd
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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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unto the head drew 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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The fight did last from breake of day,
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till setting of the Sun.
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For when they wrung the evening Bell
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the Battle scarce was done:
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With stout Earle Piercy there was slaine
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Sir John of Ogerton,
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Sir Robert Rateliffe 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 Rebby there was slaine
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whose prowesse did surmount:
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For Witherington needs must I waile,
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as one in dolefull dumps,
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For when his Leggs were smitten off
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he fought upon his stumps.
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And with Earle Dowglas there was slaine
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Sir Hugh Montgomery,
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Sir Charles Morrell that from the field,
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one foot would never fly,
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Sir Charles Morrell of Ratcliffe too;
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his Sisters Sonne was he,
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Sir David Lamb so well esteemd,
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but savd he could not be.
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And the Lord Markewel in like case,
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did with Earle Dowglas die,
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Of twenty hundred Scotish Speares,
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scarce fifty five did flie:
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Of fifteene hundred English-men,
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went home but fiifty three,
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The rest were slaine in Chevy-Chase,
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under the Greene-wood Tree.
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Next day did many Widowes come,
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there husbands to bewaile
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They washt their wounds in brinish teares
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but all would not prevaile,
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There 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 newes was brought to Edenburg,
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where Scotlands King did reigne,
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That brave Earle Dowglas suddently,
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was with an Arrow slaine:
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O heavy news King James did say,
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Scotland can witnesse be,
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I have not any Captaine more,
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of such account as he.
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Like tydings to King Henery came,
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within a 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 Realme,
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fiive hundred as good as he,
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Yet shall not Scots nor Scotland say,
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but I will vengance take,
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And be revenged one 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 at Humble Downe
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In one day fifty 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 hundred die,
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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 the King and blesse the Land,
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with plentie Joy and peace,
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And grant hencefoorth that fowle debate,
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twixt Noble-men may cease.
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