BALLAD XXIV. THE HUNTING IN CHEVY-CHASE. * GOD prosper long our noble king, Our lives and safeties all; A woeful hunting once there did To drive the deer with hound and horn, The child may rue that is unborn The stout Earl of Northumberland The chiefest harts in Chevy-chase The tidings to Earl Douglas came, In Scotland where he lay; * This ballad appears to have been modernized about the time of James or Charles I. from an ancient piece upon the same subject, preserved by Hearne, (Guliel. Neubri. I. lxxxii.) and thence (not very faithfully or correctly) printed by Percy, beginning, 'The Perse owt off Northombarlande and a vowe to God mayd he.' An admirable Latin version, written at the command of Dr. Compton, Bishop of London, by Mr. Henry Bold, is inserted among that gentleman's Latin songs, and in Dryden's Collection of Miscella. neous Poems. Who sent Earl Percy present word With fifteen hundred bowmen bold; Who knew full well, in time of need, The gallant greyhounds swiftly ran, And, long before high noon, they had The bowmen muster'd on the hills, Well able to endure; Their backsides 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, 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, ‹ 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, 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, The man that first did answer make, Who said, we list not to declare, Nor show whose men we be : 'Yet we will spend our dearest blood, Thy chiefest barts to slay.' Then Douglas swore a solemn oath, And thus in rage did say: Ere thus I will out-braved 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 it were, And great offence, to kill Any of these our harmless men, For they have done no ill: Let thou and I the battle try, Accurs'd be he, (Lord Percy said,) Then stepp'd a gallant squire forth, Who said, I would not have it told < To Henry our king, for shame, That e'er my captain fought on foot, You be two earls, (said Witherington,) ' And I a squire alone : I'll do the best that do I may, While I have strength to stand; 'While I have pow'r to wield my sword, 'I'll fight with heart and hand.' Our English archers bent their bows, At the first flight of arrows sent, Full three-score Scots they slew. To drive the deer with hound and horn, They clos'd full fast on every 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. |