Erle Douglas on his milke-white steede, Most like a baron bold, Rode foremost of his company, Whose armour shone like gold. "Show me," sayd hee, "whose men you bee, That hunt soe boldly heere, That, without my consent, do chase And kill my fallow-deere." The first man that did answer make, Who sayd, "Wee list not to declare, "Yet will we spend our deerest blood, Then Douglas swore a solemne oathe, "Ere thus I will out-braved bee, One of us two shall dye: I know thee well, an erle thou art: "But trust me, Percy, pittye it were, For they have done no ill. "Let thou and I the battell trye, And set our men aside." "Shame on the man," Erle Percy sayd, "By whome this is denyed." Then stept a gallant squier forth, Witherington was his name, "That e'er my captaine fought on foote, And I stood looking on. You two bee erles," quo' Witherington, "And I a squier alone: "Ile doe the best that doe I may, While I have power to stand: While I have power to weeld my sword, Our English archers bent their bowes, His host he parted had in three, Throughout the English archery And throwing strait their bowes away, They closed full fast on everye side, Alack! it was a griefe to see, How each one chose his spere, At last these two stout erles did meet, They fought untill they both did sweat, Untill the blood, like drops of rain, "Yeeld thee, Lord Percy," Douglas sayd; "In faith I will thee bringe, Where thou shalt high advanced bee, By James our Scottish king: Thy ransome I will freely give, Thou art the most couragious knight, That ever I did see." "Noe, Douglas," quoth Erle Percy then, Thy proffer I doe scorne; I will not yeelde to any Scott, That ever yett was borne." With that, there came an arrow keene Which struck Erle Douglas to the heart, 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 life, Erle Percy tooke "Ah me! my verry heart doth bleed A knight amongst the Scotts there was, Who streight in wrath did vow revenge Sir Hugh Mountgomery was he call'd, And past the English archers`all, With such vehement force and might The staff ran through the other side So thus did both these nobles dye, He had a bow bent in his hand, Against Sir Hugh Mountgomery This fight did last from breake of day, For when they rung the evening-bell, With stout Erle Percy, there was slaine Sir Robert Ratcliffe, and Sir John, Sir James the bold barròn. And with Sir George and stout Sir James, For Witherington my heart is woe, And with Erle Douglas there was slaine Sir Charles Murray, that from the feeld 1 Another version is: "For Witherington I needs must wail, As one in doleful dumps, For when his legs were smitten off, Sir Charles Murray of Ratcliffe, too, And the Lord Maxwell in like case Of fifteen hundred Englishmen, Next day did many widdowes come, They washt their wounds in brinish teares, Their bodyes, bathed in purple blood, The news was brought to Eddenborrow, O heavye news! King James did say; I have not any captaine more Of such account as hee. Like tydings to King Henry came, That Percy, of Northumberland, "Now God bee with him," sayd our king, "Sith 'twill noe better bee; I trust I have within my realme "Yet shall not Scotts nor Scottland say, For brave Erle Percie's sake." |