CHEVIOT CHASE

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God prosper long our noble King our Lives and Safties all, A woeful hunting once their did in Cheviot chase befall To drive the Deer with Hound and Horn, Earl Peircy took the way, The Child may rue that is unborn the Hunting of that Day. The stout Earl of Northumberland a vow to GOD did make, His pleasure in the Scottish Woods three Summers days to take, The choicest Harts of Cheviot-chase to kill and bear away. These tidings to Earl Dowglas came in Scotland where he lay, Who sent Earl Piercy present word, he would prevent the sport. The English Earl not fearing him, did to the woods resort With twenty hundred bow men bold, all chosen men of might, Who knew full well in time of need to aim their shafts aright. The gallant grey hound did swiftly run, to chase the fallow Deer On Monday they began to hunt when day light did appear. And long before high noon they had an hundred fat Bucks slain. Then having din'd the Drovers went to rouse them up again. The Bow-men muster'd on the hill well able to endure, The back sides all with special care, that day were guarded sure The Hounds ran swiftly through the Wood the nimble Deer to take: And with their Cries the Hills and Dales an echo shril did make. Lord Piercy to the Quarrie went, to view the tender Deer, Quoth he, Earl Dowglas promised this day to meet me here. But if I knew he would not come no longer would I stay, With that a brave young Gentleman, thus to the Earl did say, Lo, yonder doth Lord Dowglas come his men in armour bright. Full fifteen hundred Scottish Spears, all marching in our sight, All men of pleasant Teviotdale; dwells by the River Tweed Then cease your sports, Earl Piercy said and take your Bows with speed; And now with me my Country-men, your courage forth advance, For nev'r was there a Champion yet in Scotland, or in France; Thas ever did on Horse-hack come, but if my hap it were, I durst encounter man for man with him to break a Spear: Lord Dowglas on a milk white Steel most like a Barron bold, Rode foremost of the Company whose Armour shin'd like Gold: Shew me, said he, whose men ye be that Hunt so boldly here, That without my consent do chase and kill my fallow Deer: The first man that did answer make was noble Piercy he, Who said we list not to declare, nor shew whose men we be, But we will spend our dearest Blood the choisest Harts to slay: Then Dowglas swore a Solemn Oath, and thus in rage did say: E're I will thus outbraved be, one of us two shall dy; I know thee well, an Earl thou are

Lord Piercy so am I; But trust me, Piercy, pity it were, and great offence to kill Any of those our harmless men, for they have done no ill: But let thee and me the Battel try. and set our men aside. Accurst be he, said Earl Piercy, by whom this is deny'd. Then steps a gallant Squire forth, Withringtoun was his Name, Who said he would not have it told to Henry his King for shame That e'er my Captain fought on foot, and I stood looking on: You be[tw]o Earls, said Withringtoun; and I a Squire alone, I'll do the best that I may do, while I have power to stand, While I have power to wield my Sword I'le fight with heart and hand. Our Scottish Archers bent their Bows, their hearts were good and true, At the first flight of Arrows sent fourscore of English flew To drive the deer with hound & horn Dowglas bade on the bear, A captain mov'd with meikle pride, the S[p]ears in shevers went, They c[los']d full fast on every side, no [slack]ness their was found And [many] a gallant Gentleman lay [gas]ping on the Ground O but [it] was a grief to see, and [lik]eways for to hear The cr[ies] of men lying in their gore, we[re] scatred here and there. At las[st th]ese two stout Earls did meet, li[ke c]aptains of great might, Li[ke Lio]ns mov'd, they laid on load, [and] made a cruel fight, The[ey][fou]ght until they both did sweat, wi[th] Swords of temp'rd Steel, Until [the] Blood like drops of Rain the[y t]rinkling down did feel Yield [t]hee Lord Piercy, Dowglas said, in faith I will thee bring Where thou shalt high advanced be by James our Scottish King. The ransom I will freely give, and this report of thee, Thou art the most couragious Knight that ever I did see: No Dowglas, quoth Lord Piercy then, thy profer I do scorn, I will not yield to any SCOT, that ever yet was born With that there came an Arrow keen, out of an English Bow, Which struck Lord Dowglas to the Heart a deep and deadly blow, Who never spake more words then these fight on my merry men all; For [n]ow my Life is at an end, Lord Piercy sees me fall. Then [l]eaving Life, Lord Piercy took the dead man by the hand, And said Lord Dowglas for thy Life would I had lost my Land: O! but 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 which saw Earl Douglas die: Who straight in wrath did now revenge upon the Earl Piercie: Sir [Hugh] Mo[ontgo]mrie he was call'd, who with a Spear full bright Well mounted on a gallant Steed, ra[n] fiercely through the fight: He p[u]t the English Archers all, without all dread or fear,

And through Earl Piercy's body then he thrust his hateful Spear, With such a vehement force and might he did his body gore, The Spear ran through the other side a large cloth yard and more: Thus did both these Nobles die, whose courage none could stain. An English Archer then perceiv'd his Noble Lord was slain, He had a Bow bent in his hand, made of a trusty Tree, An arrow of a cloth-yard length unto the head drew he, Against Sir Hugh Montgomry then, so right his shaft he let, The gray Goose wing that was thereon in his heart blood was wet: This fight did last from break of day till setting of the Sun. For when they rung the evening Bell the Battel scarce was done. With the Lord Piercy there was slain Sir John of Ogerton, Sir Robert Ratclif and Sir John, Sir James that bold Barron Sir George and also good Sir Hugh both Knights of good account. Good Sir Ralph Roby there was slain whose prowesse did surmount: For Withrington I needs must wail, as one in doleful dumps: For when his Legs were smitten off, he fought upon his stumps. And with Earl Dowglas there was slain Sir Hugh Montgomerie, Sir Charles Murray, from the field one foot would never flee. Sir Charles Murray of Ratclief too his Sisters Son was he, Sir David Lamb, so well esteem'd yet saved could not be, And the Lord Maxwel in like [?] did with Earl Dowglas die. Of Fifteen hundred Scottish Spears went home but Fifty three: Of Twenty hundred English men scarce Fifty five did flee, The rest were slain at Cheviot-chase, under the green Wood Tree. Next day did many Widows come their Husbands to bewail: They washt their wounds with brinish Tears but all could not prevail. Their bodies bath'd in purple Blood they bare with them away, They kis'd them dead a thousand times when they were clad in clay: The news were brought to Edinburgh where Scotlands King did Reign, That brave Earl Dowglas suddenly was with an Arrow slain, Now God be with him, said our King fith't will no better be, I trust I have within my Realm, five hundred as good as he. Like tydings to King Henry came within as short a space, That Piercy of Northumberland was slain at Cheviot-chase: O heavy news King Henry said, England can witnes be. I have not any Captain more, of such account as he, Now of the rest of small account, did many hundreds die, Thus ended the hunting of Cheviot-chase made by the Earl Piercie. God save the King and bless the Land with plenty, joy and peace, And grant that foul debates Noblemen may cease,

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