The chiefest harts in Chevy Chase To kill and bear away. The tidings to earl Douglas came Who sent earl Percy present word With fifteen hundred bowmen bold, The gallant greyhounds swiftly ran, And, long before high noon, they had The bowmen muster'd on the hills, Well able to endure, Their back-sides all, with special care, That day were guarded sure. The hounds ran swiftly through the woods, The nimble deer to take; And with their cries the hills and dales Lord Percy to the quarry went, To view the slaughter'd deer; Quoth he, Earl Douglas promised This day to meet me here: If that I thought he would not come, With that a brave young gentleman 'Lo! yonder doth earl Douglas come, 'All men of pleasant Tividale, Fast by the river Tweed.' 'Then cease your sport,' earl Percy said, 'And take your bows with speed: 'And now with me, my countrymen, "That ever did on horseback come, Earl Douglas, on a milk-white steed, Most like a baron bold, Rode foremost of the company, Whose armour shone like gold: "Show me,' said 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, Who said, 'We list not to declare, 'Yet will we spend our dearest blood, Ere thus I will ontbraved be, I know thee well; an earl thou art, * But trust me, Percy, pity it were, Any of these our harmless men, 'Let thou and I the battle try, Then stepp'd a gallant squire forth, Who said, 'I'would not have it told '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, Our English archers bent their bows, To drive the deer with hound and horn, They clos'd full fast on ev'ry side, O Christ! it was a grief to see, The cries of men lying in their gore, At last these two stout earls did meet, They fought, until they both did sweat, With swords of temper'd 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, Thou art the most courageous knight 'No, Douglas,' quoth earl Percy then, 'Thy proffer I do scorn; I will not yield to any Scot With that there came an arrow keen Which struck earl Douglas to the heart, Who never spoke more words than these: 'Fight on, my merry men all; For why? my life is at an end: Then leaving life, earl Percy took |