# Excellent old ballad describing the woeful hunting and famous battle on Chevy-Chace

AN EXCELLENT OLD BALLAD
DESCRIBING,
THE WOEFUL HUNTING
AND FAMOUS BATTLE ON
CHEVY-CHACE,
Fought between Earl Piercy with 2000 Engliſh: and Earl Douglas with 1500 Scots: in which both theſe Earls and moſt of their men were flain.
STIRLING:
Printed and Sold by M. Randall.
CHEVY-CHACE.
God proſper long our noble king, our lives and ſafeties all, A woeful hunting once there did In Chevy-Chace befal. To drive the deer with hound and horn, Earl Piercy took his way, The child may rue that is unborn, the hunting of that day. The Earl of Northumberland, a vow to God did make. His pleaſure in the Scottiſh woods, three ſummers days to take, The chiefeſt harts in Chevy-chace, to kill and bear away; The tidings to Earl Douglas came, in Scotland where he lay, Who sent Earl Piercy preſent word, he would prevent his ſport: The Engliſh earl not fearing this, 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 greyhounds they full ſwiftly ran, to chace the fallow deer: On Monday they began to hunt, when daylight did appear. And long before high noon they had, a hundred fat bucks ſlain; They having din'd the rover's went,
to rouſe them up again. The bowmen muſter'd on the hill, well able to endure, Their backſides all with ſpecial care, that day were guarded ſure. The hounds ran ſwiftly thro' the woods the nimble deer to take And with their cries the hills and dales an echo ſhrill did make. Lord Piercy to the quarry went, to view the tender deer, Quoth he Earl Douglas promiſed this day to meet me here; Iſ that I thought he would not come, no longer would I ſtay, Then ſtept a brave young gentleman, and to the Earl did ſay, Lo! yonder cometh Earl Douglas, his men of armour bright; Full fifteen hundred Scottiſh ſpears, all marching in our fight, All men of pleaſant Tiviotdale, faſt by the river Tweed Then ceaſe your ſport, Earl Piercy ſaid, and take your bows with ſpeed. And now with me, my countrymen, your courage forth advance, For never was there a 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 a milk white ſteed, much like a baron bold, Rode foremoſt of his company, whoſe armour ſhone like gold: Shew me, ſaid he, whoſe men you be, that hunt ſo boldly here And without my conſent do chace and kill my fallow deer? The firſt that did an anſwer make, was Earl Piercy, he Did ſay we liſt not to declare, or ſhew whoſe men we be, Yet will we spend our deareſt blood, the chiefeſt harts to ſlay. Then Douglas ſwore a ſolemn oath, and in a rage did ſay, Before I will out-braved be, one of us two ſhall die, I know thee well, an Earl thou art, Lord Piercy, ſo am I; But truſt me Piercy, I think it were, a great offence to kill Any of theſe our harmleſs men, for they have done no ill; Let thou and I the battle try, and ſet our men aſide, Accurſt be he, Lord Piercy ſaid, by whom this is deny'd. Then ſtept a gallant ſquire forth, Witherington by 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 are 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 ſtrength to wield my ſword I'll fight with heart and hand, The Engliſh archer bent their bows, their hearts were good and true: At the firſt flight of arrows ſent, full threeſcore Scots they ſlew, To drive the deer with hound and horn earl Douglas had been bent. The captains mov'd with muckle pride, their ſpears in ſhivers ſent. They clos'd full faſt on every side, no ſlackneſs could be found, Whilſt many a gallant gentlemen, lay gaſping on the ground. Oh, Chrift! it was a grief to ſee, and likewiſe for to hear, The groans of men lying in their gore, and ſcatter'd here and there, At laſt theſe two bold earls did meet, like captains of great might, Like lions mov'd they laid on blows, and made a bloody fight. They fought until they both did ſweat, with ſwords of temper'd ſteel, Until the blood like drops of rain, they tickling down did feel; Yield thee, Earl Piercy, 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 To the earl Douglas Piercy ſaid, thy proffers I do ſcorn, I will not vield to any Scot, that ever yet was born. 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 ſpoke words more than theſe fight on my merry men all, For now my life is at an end, Lord Piercy ſees me fall. Then leaving life, earl Piercy took the dead man by the hand, And ſaid, earl Douglas for thy ſake, would I had loſt my land. Oh Chriſt! my very heart doth bleed, with ſorrow for thy ſake, For ſure a more renowned knight, miſchance did never take. A knight among the Scots there was, who ſaw brave Douglas die, And ſtraight in wrath did vow revenge, upon the Lord Piercy. Sir Hugh Montgomery he was call'd, who with a ſpear moſt bright, Well mounted on a gallant ſteed,
rode fiercely through the fight; He paſs'd the Engliſh archers all, without e'er dread or fear, And through earl Piercy's body then, be thruſt the hateful ſpear, With ſuch vehement force and might, he did his body gore, The ſpear went through the other ſide, a full cloth yard and more: So did both theſe brave nobles die, whoſe courage none could ſtain; An Engliſh archer then perceiv'd the noble earl was ſlain, He had a bow bent in his hand, made of a truſty yew, An arrow of a cloth yard long, unto his head he drew, Against Sir Hugh Montgomery, aright and ſhaft he ſet; The grey gooſe wing that was thereon in his heart's blood was wet: The fighting did laſt from break of day, till ſetting of the ſun, For when they rung the evening bell, the battle ſcarce was done. With earl Piercy there was ſlain, Sir John of Orgetoa; Sir Robert Ratcliff, and Sir John, Sir James that bold barron. With good Sir John, and good Sir James both knights of good account, Good Sir Ralph Rabbin there was ſlain, whoſe powers did ſurmount;
For Witherington needs muſt I wail, as one of doleful dumps; For when his legs were ſmitten off, he fought upon his ſtumps, And with earl Douglas there was ſlain, Sir Hugh Montgomery, Sir Charles Currel that from the field one foot would never flee. Sir Charles Currel of Ratcliff too, his ſiſter's ſon was he, Sir David Lamb tho ſo eſteem'd, they ſaved could not be. Of fifteen hundred Scottiſh Peers, went home but fifty-three; The reſt were ſlain in Chevy-Chace, under the greenwood tree. Next day did many widows come, their husbands to bewail, They waſh'd their wounds in briny tears yet all would not prevail Their bodies bath'd in purple gore, with them they bore away, And kiſs'd them dead a thouiand times, when they were cold as clay. God ſave the King, and bleſs his land, in plenty joy and peace. And grant henceforth that foul debates 'twixt noblemen may ceaſe.
FINIS.
This work was published before January 1, 1929, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.
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