Sir Jorg the worthè Lovele A knight of great renowen, Sir Raff the rych Rugbè With dyntes wear beaten dowene. For Wetharryngton my harte was wo, For when both his leggis wear hewyne in to, Ther was slayne with the dougheti Douglas Sir Davye Lwdale, that worthè was, Sir Charles a Murrè, in that place, So on the morrowe the mayde them byears Tivydale may carpe 49 off care, Northombarlond may mayk grat mone, For towe such captayns, as slayne wear thear, Wordeys commen to Edden burrowe, To Jamy the Skottishe kyng, That dougheti Duglas, lyff-tenant of the Merches, His handdes did he weal 50 and wryng, Worde ys commyn to lovly Londone That lord Persè, leyff-tennante of the Merchis, God have merci on his soll, sayd kyng Harry, 46 Fetch. 49 Lament. 60 Wail. I have a hondrith captayns in Ynglonde, As good as ever was hee: But Persè, and I brook 51 my lyffe, Thy deth well quyte 52 shall be. As our noble kyng made his a-vowe, He dyd the battel of Hombyll-dowr Wher syx and thritte 53 Skottish knyghtes Glendale glytteryde on ther armor bryght, This was the hontynge off the Cheviat; Old men that knowen the grownde well yenoughe, At Otterburn began this spurne Uppon a monnyn day: Ther was the dougghtè Doglas slean, The Persè never went away Ther was never a tym on the march partes Sen 4 the Doglas and the Persè met, But yt was marvele, and the redde blude ronne not. This form of the Ballad was probably written not much later than the time of Queen Elizabeth. It is the one criticised by Addison is the 'Spectator,' Nos. 70 and 74. God prosper long our noble king, A woefull hunting once there did To drive the deere with hound and horne, Erle Percy took his way; The child may rue that is unborne, The hunting of that day. The stout Erle of Northumberland His pleasure in the Scottish woods The cheefest harts in Chevy-Chace These tydings to Erle Douglas came, Who sent Erle Percy present word, The English Erle, not fearing that, With fifteen hundred bow-men bold; Who knew full well in time of neede The gallant greyhounds swiftly ran, And long before high noone they had The bow-men mustered on the hills, Well able to endure; Theire backsides all, with speciall care, That day were guarded sure. The hounds ran swiftly through the woods, That with their cryes the hills and dales Lord Percy to the quarry went, But if I thought he wold not come, Noe longer wold I stay." With that, a brave younge gentleman "Loe, yonder doth Erle Douglas come, All men of pleasant Tivydale, "O, cease your sports," Erle Percy said, And now with me, my countrymen, That ever did on horsebacke come, I durst encounter man for man, Erle Douglas on his milke-white steede, Most like a baron bold, Rode formost 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, doe chase And kill my fallow-deere." The first man that did answer make, Who say, "Wee list not to declare, Ye wee will spend our deerest blood, Then Douglas swore a solempne oathe, "Ere thus I will out-braved bee, I know thee well, an erle thou art: But trust me, Percy, pittye it were, And great offence to kill For they have done no ill. Let thou and I the battell trye, Then stept a gallant squier forth, That ere my captaine fought on foote, You bee two erles," sayd Witherington, Ile doe the best that doe I may, While I have power to stand: Our English archers bent their bowes, '[Yet bides Earl Douglas on the bent, As valiant Captain, all unmov'd His host he parted had in three, Throughout the English archery 1 The four stanzas here inclosed in Brackets, which are borrowed chiefly from the ancient Copy, are affered to the Reader instead of the following lines, which occur in the Editor's folo M5.1 To drive the deere with hound and horne, Douglas bade on the bent; Two captaines moved with mickle might, |