Our English archers bent their bowes; their harts were good and trew;

Att the first flight of arrowes sent, full foure score Scotts the slew.

To driue the deere with hound and horne, Douglas bade on the bent;

3

Two captaines moued with mickle might, their speres to shiuers went.

They closed full fast on euerye side
noe slackness there was found,
But many a gallant gentleman
lay gasping on the ground,

8

O Christ! it was great greeue® to see how eche man chose his spere,

And how the blood out of their brests did gush like water cleare.

'At last these two stout erles did meet, like captaines of great might;

в

Like lyons woode they layd on lode; the made a cruell fight.

The fought vntil they both did sweat, with swords of tempered steele,

Till blood downe their cheekes like raine the trickling downe did feele.

66

O yeeld thee, Pearcye!" Douglas sayd,

66

And in faith I will thee bringe

Where thou shall high advanced bee by Iames our Scottish king.

"Thy ransome I will freely giue, and this report of thee,

Thou art the most couragious knight

[that ever I did see.]"

"Noe, Douglas!" quoth Erle Percy then,

With that there came an arrow keene, out of an English bow,

Which stroke Erle Douglas on the brest a deepe and deadlye blow.

Who neuer sayd more words than these; "Fight on, my merry men all! For why, my life is att [an] end, lord Pearcy sees my fall."

Then leauing liffe, Erle Pearcy tooke
the dead man by the hand;

Who said, "Erle Dowglas, for thy life,
Wold I had lost my land!

"O Christ! my verry hart doth bleed for sorrow for thy sake,

For sure, a more redoubted knight mischance cold neuer take."

A knight amongst the Scotts there was which saw Erle Douglas dye,

Who streight in hart did vow revenge vpon the Lord Pearcye.

Sir Hugh Mountgomerye was he called,
who, with a spere full bright,
Well mounted on a gallant steed,
ran feircly through the fight,

And past the English archers all, without all dread or feare,

And through Erle Percyes body then he thrust his hatfull spere.

And with Erle Dowglas there was slaine Sir Hugh Mountgomerye,.

And Sir Charles Morrell, that from feelde one foote wold neuer flee;

Sir Roger Heuer of Harcliffe tow, his sisters sonne was hee;

Sir David Lambwell, well esteemed, but saved he cold not bee.

'And the Lord Maxwell, in like case, with Douglas he did dye;

Of twenty hundred Scottish speeres, scarce fifty-fiue did flye.

Of fifteen hundred Englishmen went home but fifty-three;

The rest in Cheuy Chase were slaine, vnder the greenwoode tree.

Next day did many widdowes come their husbands to bewayle;

They washt their wounds in brinish teares, but all wold not prevayle.

Theyr bodyes, bathed in purple blood, the bore with them away;

They kist them dead a thousand times ere the were cladd in clay.

The newes was brought to Eddenborrow, where Scottlands king did rayne, That braue Erle Douglas soddainlye was with an arrow slaine.

"O heauy newes!" King Iames can say;

66

Scotland may wittenesse bee

I haue not any captaine more

of such account as hee."

23

Like tydings to King Henery came,
within as short a space,

That Pearcy of Northumberland
was slaine in Cheuy Chase.

Now God be with him!" said our king, "sith it will noe better bee;

I trust I haue within my realme

fiue hundred as good as hee.

"Yett shall not Scotts nor Scottland say but I will vengeance take,

And he revenged on them all

for braue Erle Percyes sake.”

This vow the king did well performe
after on Humble-downe;

In one day fifty knights were slayne,
with lords of great renowne,

And of the rest, of small account,
did many hundreds dye:

Thus endeth the hunting in Cheuy Chase,
made by the Erle Pearcye.

God saue our king, and blesse this land with plentye, ioy, and peace,

And grant hencforth that foule debate twixt noble men may ceaze!

JOHNIE ARMSTRONG

THERE dwelt a man in faire Westmerland,
Ionnë Armestrong men did him call,
He had nither lands nor rents coming in,
Yet he kept eight score men in his hall.

He had horse and harness for them all,
Goodly steeds were all milke-white;