Sir Charles Murray of Ratcliff, too
His sister's son was he;

Sir David Lamb, so well esteemed,
But saved he could not be.

And the Lord Maxwell in like case
Did with Earl Douglas die:
Of twenty hundred Scottish spears,
Scarce fifty-five did fly.

Of fifteen hundred Englishmen,
Went home but fifty-three;
The rest in Chevy-Chase were slain,
Under the greenwood tree.

Next day did many widows come,
Their husbands to bewail;

They washed their wounds in brinish tears,
But all would not prevail.

Their bodies, bathed in purple blood,
They bore with them away;

They kissed them dead a thousand times,

Ere they were clad in clay.1

The news was brought to Edinburgh,
Where Scotland's king did reign,
That brave Earl Douglas suddenly

Was with an arrow slain :

"Oh heavy news," King James did say; "Scotland can witness be

I have not any captain more

Of such account as he."

1 Clad in clay: buried.

Like tidings to King Henry came

Within as short a space,

That Percy of Northumberland
Was slain in Chevy-Chase:

"Now God be with him," said our king,
"Since 'twill no better be;

I trust I have within my realm
Five hundred as good as he:

"Yet shall not Scots or Scotland say
But I will vengeance take:

I'll be revenged on them all,
For brave Earl Percy's sake."

This vow full well the king performed
After at Humbledown; 1

In one day fifty knights were slain,
With lords of high renown;"

And of the best, of small account,

Did many hundreds die:

Thus endeth the hunting of Chevy-Chase,
Made by the Earl Percy.

God save the king, and bless this land,
With plenty, joy, and peace;

And grant, henceforth, that foul debate 2

'Twixt noblemen may cease!

ANONYMOUS.

1 Humbledown: Humbleton, Northumberland, England. Here the Eng

lish gained a great victory over the Scotch in 1402.

2 Debate: contest.

THE BALLAD OF AGINCOURT.1

FAIR stood the wind for France,
When we our sails advance,

Nor now to prove our chance

Longer will tarry;

But putting to the main,2

At Kaux,3 the mouth of Seine,
With all his martial train,
Landed King Harry.

And taking many a fort,
Furnished in warlike sort,

Marched towards Agincourt
In happy hour-

1 Agincourt (Ah-zhan-koor'): to divert the attention of his people from dangerous political questions at home, and also to gratify hopes of conquest, Henry V. of England began a war with France in 1415. The battle of Agincourt was fought that year. It gets its name from the little village of Agincourt, in the Department of Calais, about forty miles southwest of that port.

The French greatly outnumbered Henry's forces; but the English had the good fortune to be able to use their bowmen to the best possible advantage, as a hard rain had fallen the night before, and the heavily armed French troops could with difficulty get over the muddy ploughed land.

The English king gained a great victory, and went back to London in triumph. Later he renewed the war, and obtained the hand of the French princess Katherine in marriage, and the promise of the crown of France on the death of Charles VI., her father, who was then insane, and in feeble health.

2 To the main: to sea.

8. Kaux (Kō).

1

Skirmishing day by day

With those that stopped his way,
Where the French gen'ral lay
With all his power,

Which in his height of pride,
King Henry to deride,

His ransom1 to provide

To the king sending;
Which he neglects the while,
As from a nation vile,

Yet, with an angry smile,
Their fall portending.

And turning to his men,
Quoth our brave Henry then:
Though they to one be ten,
Be not amazed;

Yet have we well begun
Battles so bravely won

Have ever to the sun

By fame been raised.

And for myself, quoth he,

1 Ransom: it was the custom then for the victors to extort heavy ransoms from all prisoners of rank taken in war. The French king demands Henry's ransom in advance of the battle by way of deriding his power.

1 Poitiers and Cressy: two famous battles fought by the English in France in 1356 and 1346, in both of which the English gained decisive victories. The French pronunciation of Poitiers is nearly Pwi'-te-a'.

2 Grandsire: Edward III. of England, who gained the victory of Cressy. He claimed the throne of France.

8 Lilies: the lilies or fleur-de-lis on the arms of France.

4 Vaward: vanward, front.

5 Main: main body of troops. According to some early accounts Henry had only six or seven thousand soldiers to fifty thousand of the enemy. 6 Henchmen: followers.

7 Excester (Exe Cester or Exe Chester; meaning the fortified place on the river Exe, in Devonshire, in the southwest of England, the modern Exeter): Sir Thomas Beaufort, Duke of Exeter, one of Henry's chief men.