A memorable Song, on the unhappy Hunting in Chevy-Chase, betweene Earle Piercy of England, and Earle Dowglas of Scotland.
To the Tune of, Flying Fame
GOd prosper long our Noble King,
our lives and safeties all,
A wofull Hunting once there did
in Chevy Chase befall:
To drive the Déere with hound and horne
Earle Piercy tooke his way,
The Child may rue that is unborne,
the Hunting of that day.
The stout Earle of Northumberland,
a vow to God hid make,
His pleasure in the Scottish VVoods,
thrée Summers days to take,
The chiefest Harts in Chevy Chase,
to kill and beare away:
These tydings to Earle Dowglas came,
in Scotland where he lay,
VVho sent Earle Piercy present word,
he would prevent his sport,
The English Earle not fearing this,
did to the VVoods resort,
VVith fiftéene hundred Bow-men bold
all chosen men of might,
VVho knew full well in time of warre,
to aime there shafts aright.
The gallant Grayhounds swiftly ran,
to chase the Fallow Déere,
On Munday they began to hunt,
when day-light did appeare,
And long before high noone they had,
an hundred fat Bucks slaine.
Then having din'd the Drovers went,
to rowse them up againe.
The Bow-men mustred on the hills,
well able to endure,
Their back-sides all with speciall care
that day was guarded sure.
The Hounds ran swiftly through ye woods
the nimble Déere to take,
That with their cryes the Hits and Dales
an Eccho shrill did maky.
Lord Piercy to the Quarry went,
to view the tender Déere,
Quoth he, Earle Dowglas promised,
this day to méet me here;
But if I thought he would not come,
no longer would I stay:
VVith that a brave young Gentleman,
thus to the Earle did say,
Loe, yonder doth Earle Dowglas come,
his men in Armour bright,
Full fiftéene hundred Scottish Speares,
all marching in our sight,
All pleasant men of Tevidale,
fast by the River Tweed:
Then cease your sport Earle Piercy said,
and take your Bowes with spéed.
And now with me my Countreymen
your courage foorth advance;
For never was there Champion yet,
in Scotland or in France,
That ever did on horse-back come,
and if my hap it were,
I durst encounter man for man,
with him to breake a Speare,
Earle Dowglas on a milke white Stéed,
most like a Baron bold,
Rode foremost of the companie,
whose Armour shone like Gold:
Shew me said he whose men you be,
that hunt so boldly here,
That without my consent doe chase,
and kill my Fallow Déere,
The man that first did answer make,
was Noble Piercy he,
VVho said we list not to declare,
nor tell whose men we be,
Yet we will spend our dearest blood,
thy chiefest Harts to stay:
Then Dowglas swore a solemne Oath,
and thus inrage did say,
Ere thus I will out braved be,
one of us two shall die,
I know thée well an Earle thou art,
Lord Piercy so am I:
But trust me, Piercy, pitty twere,
and great offence to kill:
Any of these our harmelesse men,
for they have done no ill:
Let thou and I the Battell try,
and set our men aside;
Accurst be he Lord Piercy said,
by whome it is deny'd.
Then stept a gallant Squire foorth,
Witherington was his name,
VVho said, he would not have it told,
to Henry our King for shame.
That ere my Captaine fought one foot,
and I stood looking on;
You two be Earles, quoth Witherington,
and I a Squire alone,
Ile doe the best that doe I may,
while I have power to stand,
VVhile I have power to wield my sword,
Ile fight with heart and hand,
Our English Archers bent there Bowes
there hearts ware good and true,
At the first flight of Arrowes sent,
full fourescore Scots they slew.
To drive the Déere with hound and horns
Dowglas bad on the bent.
A Captaine mov'd with mickle pride
the Speares to shivers went.
They clos'd full fast on every side,
no slacknesse there was found,
And many a gallant Gentleman,
lay gasping on the ground:
O Christ it were a griefe to sée,
and likewise for to heare,
The cryes of men lying in there gore,
and scattered here and there.
At last the two stout Earles did méet,
like Captaines of great might,
Like Lyons mov'd they laid on load
and made a cruell fight:
They fought untill they both did sweat,
with swords of tempered stéele,
Vntill the blood like drops of raine,
they trickling downe did féele.
Yield thée Lord Piercy, Dowglas said,
in faith I will thée bring,
VVhere thou shalt high advanced be:
by Iames our Scottish King;
Thy ransome will I fréely give.
and this report of thée,
Thou art the most couragious Knight,
as ever I did sée.
No Dowglas, quoth Earle Piercy then,
thy proffers I doe scorne,
I will not yield to any Scot,
that ever yet was borne.
VVith that there came an arrow kéene,
out of an English Bow,
And struck Earle Dowglas to the heart,
a déepe and deadly blow:
VVho never spake more words than these
Fight on my merry men all.
For why my life is at an end,
Earle Piercy sees me fall:
Then leaving life, Earle Piercy tooke,
the dead man by the hand,
And said, Earle Dowglas for thy life,
would I had lost my Land.
O Christ, my very heart doth bleed,
with sorrow [...] sake.
For sure [...]
mischa [...]
A Knigh [...]
which [...]
VVho [...]
upon the [...]
The Second part,
to the same tune.
SIr Hugh Montgomery was he cal'd
who with a Speare full bright,
VVell mounted on a gallant Steed,
ran fiercely through the fight:
And past the English Archers all,
without all dread or feare,
And through Earle Piercies body then,
he thrust his hatefull Speare,
VVith such a vehement force and might,
his body he did gore,
The staff ran through the other side
a large Cloth yard or more:
Thus did both these stout Nobles dye,
whose courage none could staine:
An English Archer then perceiv'd
the Noble Earle was slaine.
He had a good Bow in his hand,
made of a trusty Tree:
An Arrow of a Cloth-yard long,
unto the head drew he,
Against Sir Hugh Montgomery,
so right his shaft he set,
The Gray-goose wing that was thereon
in his heart blood was wet
The fight did last from breake of day,
till setting of the Sun.
For when they wrung the evening Bell
the Battle scarce was done:
VVith stout Earle Piercy there was slaine
Sir John of Ogerton,
Sir Robert Rateliffe and sir Iohn,
Sir Iames that bold Baron.
And with Sir George and good sir Iames.
both Knights of good account,
Good sir Ralph Rebby there was slaine'
whose prowesse did surmount:
For Witherington needs must I waile,
as one in dolefull dumps,
For when his Leggs were smitten off
he fought upon his stumps.
And with Earle Dowglas there was slaine
Sir Hugh Montgomery,
Sir Charles Morrell that from the field,
one foot would never fly,
Sir Charles Morrell of Ratcliffe too;
his Sisters Sonne was he,
Sir David Lamb so well esteem'd,
but sav'd he could not be.
And the Lord Markewel in like case,
did with Earle Dowglas die,
Of twenty hundred Scotish Speares,
scarce fifty five did flie:
Of fiftéene hundred English-men,
went home but fiifty thrée,
The rest were slaine in Chevy-Chase,
under the Gréene-wood Trée.
Next day did many VVidowes come,
there husbands to bewaile
They washt their wounds in brinish teares
but all would not prevaile,
There bodies bath'd in purple blood,
they bore with them away,
They kist them dead a thousand times,
when they were clad in clay.
This newes was bronght to Edenburg,
where Scotlands King did reigne,
That brave Earle Dowglas suddently,
was with an Arrow slaine:
O heavy news King Iames did say,
Scotland can witnesse be,
I have not any Captanie more,
of such account as he.
Like tydings to King Henery came,
within a short a space,
That Piercy of Northumberland,
was slaine in Chevy-Chase,
Now God be with him said our King.
s [...]th twill no better be,
I trust I have within my Realme,
fiive hundred as good as he,
Yet shall not Scots nor Scotland say,
but I will vengance take,
And be revenged one them all,
for brave Earle Piercies sake,
This vow the King did well performe,
after at Humble Downe
In one day fifty Knights were slaine
with Lords of high renowne.
And of the rest of small account,
did many hundred die,
Thus ended the hunting in Chevy Chase
made by the Lord Piercy,
God save the King and blesse the Land,
with plentie Ioy and peace,
And grant hencefoorth that sowle debate,
'twixt Noble-men may cease.
FINIS.
London Printed for J. Wright in the old-Bayly,