CHEVIOT CHASE
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God prosper long our noble King
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our Lives and Safties all,
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A woeful hunting once their did
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in Cheviot chase befall
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To drive the Deer with Hound and Horn,
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Earl Peircy took the 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 pleasure in the Scottish Woods
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three Summers days to take,
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The choicest Harts of Cheviot-chase
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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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Who sent Earl Piercy present word,
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he would prevent the sport.
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The English Earl not fearing him,
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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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The gallant grey hound did swiftly run,
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to chase the fallow Deer
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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 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 Bow-men muster'd on the hill
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well able to endure,
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The back sides all with special care,
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that day 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 Cries the Hills and Dales
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an echo shril did make.
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Lord Piercy to the Quarrie went,
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to view the tender Deer,
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Quoth he, Earl 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 Earl did say,
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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 sight,
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All men of pleasant Teviotdale;
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dwells by the River Tweed
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Then cease your sports, Earl Piercy said
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and take your Bows with speed;
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And now with me my Country-men,
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your courage forth advance,
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For nev'r was there a Champion yet
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in Scotland, or in France;
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Thas ever did on Horse-hack 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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Lord Dowglas on a milk white Steel
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most like a Barron bold,
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Rode foremost of the Company
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whose Armour shin'd like Gold:
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Shew me, said he, whose men ye 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 first man that 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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But we will spend our dearest Blood
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the choisest 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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E're I will thus outbraved be,
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one of us two shall dy;
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I know thee well, an Earl thou are
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Lord Piercy so am I;
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But trust me, Piercy, pity it were,
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and great offence to kill
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Any of those our harmless men,
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for they have done no ill:
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But let thee and me the Battel try.
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and set our men aside.
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Accurst be he, said Earl Piercy,
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by whom this is deny'd.
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Then steps a gallant Squire forth,
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Withringtoun was his Name,
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Who said he would not have it told
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to Henry his 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 be[tw]o Earls, said Withringtoun;
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and I a Squire alone,
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I'll 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 wield my Sword
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I'le fight with heart and hand.
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Our Scottish 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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fourscore of English flew
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To drive the deer with hound & horn
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Dowglas bade on the bear,
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A captain mov'd with meikle pride,
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the S[p]ears in shevers went,
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They c[los']d full fast on every side,
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no [slack]ness their was found
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And [many] a gallant Gentleman
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lay [gas]ping on the Ground
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O but [it] was a grief to see,
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and [lik]eways for to hear
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The cr[ies] of men lying in their gore,
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we[re] scatred here and there.
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At las[st th]ese two stout Earls did meet,
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li[ke c]aptains of great might,
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Li[ke Lio]ns mov'd, they laid on load,
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[and] made a cruel fight,
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The[ey][fou]ght until they both did sweat,
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wi[th] Swords of temp'rd Steel,
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Until [the] Blood like drops of Rain
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the[y t]rinkling down did feel
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Yield [t]hee 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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The ransom 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 Lord Piercy then,
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thy profer 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 Lord Dowglas to the Heart
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a deep and deadly blow,
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Who never spake more words then these
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fight on my merry men all;
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For [n]ow my Life is at an end,
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Lord Piercy sees me fall.
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Then [l]eaving 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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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 among the SCOTS there was
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which saw Earl Douglas die:
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Who straight in wrath did now revenge
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upon the Earl Piercie:
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Sir [Hugh] Mo[ontgo]mrie he was call'd,
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who with a Spear full bright
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Well mounted on a gallant Steed,
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ra[n] fiercely through the fight:
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He p[u]t the English Archers all,
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without all dread or fear,
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And through Earl Piercy's 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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The Spear ran through the other side
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a large cloth yard and more:
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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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his Noble Lord 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 length
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unto the head drew he,
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Against Sir Hugh Montgomry then,
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so right his shaft he let,
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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 done.
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With the Lord Piercy there was slain
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Sir John of Ogerton,
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Sir Robert Ratclif and Sir John,
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Sir James that bold Barron
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Sir George and also good Sir Hugh
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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 Withrington 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 upon his stumps.
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And with Earl Dowglas there was slain
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Sir Hugh Montgomerie,
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Sir Charles Murray, from the field
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one foot would never flee.
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Sir Charles Murray of Ratclief too
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his Sisters Son was he,
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Sir David Lamb, so well esteem'd
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yet saved could not be,
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And the Lord Maxwel in like [?]
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did with Earl Dowglas die.
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Of Fifteen hundred Scottish Spears
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went home but Fifty three:
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Of Twenty hundred English men
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scarce Fifty five did flee,
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The rest were slain at Cheviot-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 washt their wounds with brinish Tears
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but all could not prevail.
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Their bodies bath'd in purple Blood
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they bare with them away,
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They kis'd them dead a thousand times
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when they were clad in clay:
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The news were 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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fith't will 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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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 slain at Cheviot-chase:
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O heavy news King Henry said,
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England can witnes be.
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I have not any Captain more,
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of such account as he,
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Now of the rest of small account,
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did many hundreds die,
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Thus ended the hunting of Cheviot-chase
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made by the Earl Piercie.
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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 that foul debates
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Noblemen may cease,
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