The Unhappy Memorable Song of
The HUNTING of
CHEVY-CHASE
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GOD prosper long our noble King,
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or Lives and Safeties all:
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A woful Hunting once there did
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in Chevy-Chase 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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The stout Earl of Northumberland
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a Vow to God did make,
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His Pleasures in the Scottish Woods
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hree Summers Days to take;
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The chiefest Harts in Chevy-Chace
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to kill and bear away.
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The Tydings to Earl Douglas came
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in Scotland, where he lay;
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Who sent Earl Piercy present Word,
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the 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 Fifteen Hundred Bowmen 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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The gallant Greyhound swiftly run
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to chase the Fallow Deer,
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On Monday they began to hun
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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 din'd the Drovers went
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to rouse them up again.
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The Bowmen muster'd on the Hills,
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well able to endure.
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Their Back sides all with special Care,
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that Day were guarded sure.
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The hounds ran swiftly thro' the woods
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the nimble Deer to take,
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And with their Cries the Hills and 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 Deer.
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Quoth he, Earl Douglas promised
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this Day to meet me here:
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If that I thought he would not come;
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no longer would I stay.
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Then stept a brave young Gentleman,
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thus to the Earl did say:
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Lo! yonder doth Earl Douglas come;
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his Men in Armour bright;
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Full twenty hundred Scottish Spears,
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all marching in our Sight;
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All Men of pleasant Tiviotdale,
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fast by he River Tweed.
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Then ceaset your Sport, Early Piercy said,
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and take your Bows 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 Horseback 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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Douglas on a milk-white steed,
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Much like a Baron bold,
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Rodo fremost of his Company,
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wheoe 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 dare chase
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and kill my Fallow Deer.
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The first that did the 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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or shew whose Men we be;
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Yet we will spend our dearest Blood,
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the chiefest Harts to slay.
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Then Douglas swore a solemn Oath,
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and thus in Rage did say:
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Before I will out braved be,
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one of us two shall die:
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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, I think it were
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a great Offence to kill
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Any of these our harmless Men,
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for they have done no Ill;
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Let thou and I 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 deny'd.
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Then stept a gallant Squire forth,
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Witherington was his Name,
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Who said, I would not have it told
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to Henry our King for Shame,
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That e'er my Captain fought on Foot,
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and I stood looking on:
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You are two Earls, said Witherington,
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and I a Squire alone;
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I'll do the best, that do I may,
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whilst I have Power to stand;
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Whilst I have Power to wield my Sword
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I'll fight with Heart and Hand.
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Our English Archers bent their Bow
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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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full threescore Scots they slew
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To drive the Deer with Hound and Horn
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Earl Douglas had the Bent.
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The Captains, mov'd with muckle Pride,
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their Spears to Shivers sent.
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They clos'd full fast on every Side,
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no Slackness there was found;
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Whilst many a gallant Gentleman
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lay gasping on the Ground.
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Oh, Christ! it was a Grief to see,
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and likewise for to hear,
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The Groans of Men lying in their Gore,
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and scatter'd here and there.
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At last these two great Earls did meet,
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like Captains of great Might,
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Like Lions mov'd, they laid on Loads,
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and made a bloody Fight;
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They fought until they both did sweat,
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with Swords of temper'd Steel,
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Until the Blood, like Drops of Rain,
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they trickling down did feel.
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Yield thee, Earl Piercy, Douglas,
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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 Ransom I will freely give,
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and thus report of thee,
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Thou art the most courageous Knight
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that ever I did see.
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To the Earl Douglas, Piercy said,
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thy Proffers I do scorn;
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I will not yield 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 Earl Douglas to the Hear,
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a deep and deadly Blow;
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Who never spoke 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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Lord Piercy sees my Fall!
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Then, leaving Life, Earl Piercy took
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the dead Man by the Hand,
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And said, Earl Douglas, for thy Sake
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would I had lost my Land:
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O Christ I 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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who saw Earl Douglas die,
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Who strait in Wrath did vow Revenge
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upon the Lord Piercy;
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Sir Hugh Montgomery was he call'd,
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who with a Spear most bright,
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Well mounted on a gallant Steed,
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rode fiercely thro' the Fight,
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And pass'd our English Archers all,
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without all Dread and Fear;
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And through Earl Piercys Body then
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he thrust his hateful Spear;
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With such a vehement Force and Might
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he did his Body gore,
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That the Spear went thro' the other Side
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a full Cloth-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 then perceiv'd
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the noble Earl was slain;
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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
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aright his Shaft he set:
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The grey Goose Wing that was thereon
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in his Heart's Blood was wet.
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This Fight did last from Break of Day,
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ill Setting of the Sun;
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For when they rung the Evening Bell,
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the Battle scarce was done.
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Witth the Earl Piercy there were slain,
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Sir John of Ogerton,
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Sir Robert Ratcliff, and Sir John,
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Sir James that bold baron;
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With good Sir John and good Sir James,
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both Knights of good Account,
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Good Sir Ralph Rabbin there was slain
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whose Prowess did surmount
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For Witherington needs must I 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 upon his Stumps.
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And with Earl Douglas there were slain
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Sir Hugh Montgomery,
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Sir Charles Currel, that from the Field
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one Foot would never flee;
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Sir Charles Murrel of Ratcliff too,
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his Sister's Son was he;
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Sir David Lamb, so esteem'd,
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they saved could not be.
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And the Lord Maxwell in likewise
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did with Earl Douglas die.
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Of Twenty Hundred Scotish Spears,
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scarce Fifty-five did fly.
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Of Fifteen Hundred Englishmen
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went home but Fifty-three:
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The rest were slain in Chevy Chase,
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under the Green wood Tree.
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Next Day did many Widows come,
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their Husbands to bewail:
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They wash'd their Wounds in briny Tears
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yet all would not prevail.
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Their Bodies, bath'd in purple Gore,
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with them they bore away,
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And kiss'd them dead a thousand Time
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when they were clad in Clay.
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The News was brought to Edinburgh,
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where Scotlands King did reign,
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That the Earl Douglas suddenly
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was with an Arrow slain.
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Oh, heavy News! King James did say,
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Scotland can Witness 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 Tidings to King Henry came,
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within as little Space,
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That Piercy of Northumberland
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was slain in Chevy-Chace.
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Then 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 good as he
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Yet shall not Scot nor Scotland say,
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but I will Veneeance take,
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And be revenged on them all,
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for my Lord Piercy's Sake.
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This Vow the King full well perfo
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after at at Humble-Down,
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Where fifty Seotish Earls were slain,
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with Men of great Renown;
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And of the rest, of small ccount,
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did many Thousands die,
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Thus ended the Hunting of Chevy Chace,
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made by the Lord Piercy.
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God save the King, and bless the Land,
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in Plenty, Joy, and Peace:
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And grant henceforth, that foul Debate,
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Noblemen may cease.
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