To drive the deer with hound and horn,

Earl Percy took his way;

The child may rue that is unborn

The hunting of that day.

The stout Earl of Northumberland
A vow to God did make,
His pleasure in the Scottish woods
Three summer days to take;

The chiefest harts in Chevy Chase
To kill and bear away,

This tidings to Earl Douglas came,
In Scotland where he lay;

Who sent Earl Percy present word,
He would prevent his sport.
The English Earl, not fearing that,
Did to the woods resort,

With fifteen hundred bowmen bold;
All chosen men of might,
Who knew full well, in time of need,
To aim their shafts aright.

The gallant greyhounds swiftly ran,
To chase the fallow-deer:
On Monday they began to hunt,
Ere daylight did appear;

And long before high noon they had
An hundred fat bucks slain;
Then having dined, the drovers went
To rouse the deer again.

The bowmen mustered on the hills,

Well able to endure;

Their hinder parts, with special care,
That day were guarded sure.

The hounds ran swiftly through the woods
The nimble deer to take,

That with their cries the hills and dales
An echo shrill did make.

Lord Percy to the quarry went,
To view the slaughtered deer;
Quoth he, "Earl Douglas promised
This day to meet me here;

But if I thought he would not come,
No longer would I stay."-
With that a brave young gentleman
Thus to the earl did say:

"Lo, yonder doth Earl Douglas come,
His men in armour bright;
Full twenty hundred Scottish spears
All marching in our sight;

All men of pleasant Teviotdale,
Fast by the river Tweed."-

"O cease your sport," Earl Percy said,
"And take your bows with speed:

And now with me, my countrymen,
Your courage forth advance;
For never was there champion yet,
In Scotland or in France,

That ever did on horseback come,
But if my hap it were,

I durst encounter man for man,
With him to break a spear."-

Earl Douglas on his milk-white steed,
Most like a baron bold,

Rode foremost of his company,

Whose armour shone like gold.

"Show me," saith he, "whose men you be,

That hunt so boldly here;

That, without my consent, do chase

And kill my fallow-deer."

The man that first did answer make
Was noble Percy he;

Who said, "We list not to declare,
Nor show whose men we be:

Yet will we spend our dearest blood
Thy chiefest harts to slay."-
Then Douglas swore a solemn oath,
And thus in rage did say:

66 'Ere thus will I out-bravèd be,
One of us two shall die!

I know thee well, an earl thou art;
Lord Percy, so am I.

But trust me, Percy, pity 'twere
And great offence to kill
Any of these our guiltless men,
For they have done no ill.

Let thou and I the battle try,

66

And set our men aside."

Accurst be he," Early Percy said,
"By whom this is denied."

Then stepped a gallant squire forth,
Witherington was his name,
Who said, "I would not have it told
To Henry our king, for shame,

That e'er my captain fought on foot,
And I stood looking on.

You be two earls," said Witherington, "And I a squire alone:

I'll do the best that do I may,

While I have power to stand:
While I have power to wield my sword,
I'll fight with heart and hand.”–

Our English archers bent their bows,
Their hearts were good and true;

At the first flight of arrows sent,
Full fourscore Scots they slew.

Yet bides Earl Douglas on the bent,
As chieftain stout and good;
As valiant captain all unmoved
The shock he firmly stood.

His host he parted had in three,
As leader ware and tried;
And soon his spearmen on their foes
Bore down on every side.

Throughout the English archery
They dealt full many a wound;
But still our valiant Englishmen
All firmly kept their ground.

And throwing straight their bows away, They grasped their swords so bright: And now sharp blows, a heavy shower, On shields and helmets light.

They closed full fast on every side,
No slackness there was found;
And many a gallant gentleman
Lay gasping on the ground.

O sad! it was a grief to see,
And likewise for to hear,

The cries of men lying in their gore,
And scattered here and there.

At last these two stout earls did meet,
Like captains of great might:
Like lions wild, they laid on loud,
And made a cruel fight:

They fought until they both did sweat,

With swords of tempered steel;

Until the blood, like drops of rain,
They trickling down did feel.

"Yield thee, Lord Percy," Douglas said; In faith I will thee bring

Where thou shalt high advanced be

By James, our Scottish king!

Thy ransom I will freely give,
And thus report of thee,

Thou art the most courageous knight
That ever I did see."-

"No, Douglas," quoth Earl Percy then,

With that there came an arrow keen
Out of an English bow,

Which struck Earl Douglas to the heart,

A deep and deadly blow;

Who never spake more words than these:

"Fight on, my merry men all;

For why, my life is at an end-
Lord Percy sees my fall."

Then leaving strife, Earl Percy took
The dead man by the hand;
And said, "Earl Douglas, for thy life
Would I had lost my land.

O sad! my very heart doth bleed
With sorrow for thy sake;
For sure a more renownèd knight
Mischance could never take."-

A knight among the Scots there was
Which saw Earl Douglas die,

Who straight in wrath did vow revenge
Upon the Lord Percy.