English Poetry I: From Chaucer to Gray.
The Harvard Classics. 1909–14.
Traditional Ballads
22. Chevy Chase
G
our liffes and saftyes all!
A woefull hunting once there did
in Cheuy Chase befall.
Erle Pearcy took the way:
The child may rue that is vnborne
the hunting of that day!
a vow to God did make
His pleasure in the Scottish woods
three sommers days to take,
to kill and beare away:
These tydings to Erle Douglas came
in Scottland, where he lay.
he would prevent his sport;
The English erle, not fearing that,
did to the woods resort,
All chosen men of might,
Who knew ffull well in time of neede
to ayme their shafts arright.
to chase the fallow deere;
On Munday they began to hunt,
ere daylight did appeare.
a hundred fat buckes slaine;
Then hauing dined, the drouyers went
to rouze the deare againe.
well able to endure;
Theire backsids all with speciall care
that day were guarded sure.
the nimble deere to take,
That with their cryes the hills and dales
an eccho shrill did make.
to view the tender deere;
Quoth he, “Erle Douglas promised once
this day to meete me heere;
noe longer wold I stay.”
With that a braue younge gentlman
thus to the erle did say:
hys men in armour bright;
Full twenty hundred Scottish speres
all marching in our sight.
fast by the riuer Tweede:”
“O ceaze your sportts!” Erle Pearcy said,
“and take your bowes with speede.
your courage forth advance!
For there was neuer champion yett,
in Scottland nor in Ffrance,
[but], and if my hap it were,
I durst encounter man for man,
with him to break a spere.”
most like a baron bold,
Rode formost of his company,
whose armor shone like gold.
that hunt soe boldly heere,
That without my consent doe chase
and kill my fallow deere.”
was noble Pearcy hee,
Who sayd, “Wee list not to declare
nor shew whose men wee bee;
thy cheefest harts to slay.”
Then Douglas swore a solempne oathe,
and thus in rage did say:
one of vs tow shall dye;
I know thee well, an erle thou art;
Lord Pearcy, soe am I.
and great offence, to kill
Then any of these our guiltlesse men,
for they haue done none ill.
and set our men aside:”
“Accurst bee [he!]” Erle Pearcye sayd,
“by whome it is denyed.”
Witherington was his name—
Who said, “I wold not haue it told
To Henery our King, for shame,
and I stand looking on.
You bee two Erles,” quoth Witherington,
“and I a squier alone;
while I haue power to stand;
While I haue power to weeld my sword,
I’lt fight with hart and hand.”
their harts were good and trew;
Att the first flight of arrowes sent,
full foure score Scotts the slew.
Douglas bade on the bent;
Two captaines moued with mickle might,
their speres to shiuers went.
noe slackness there was found,
But many a gallant gentleman
lay gasping on the ground.
how eche man chose his spere,
And how the blood out of their brests
did gush like water cleare.
like captaines of great might;
Like lyons woode they layd on lode;
the made a cruell fight.
with swords of tempered steele,
Till blood downe their cheekes like raine
the trickling downe did feele.
“And in faith I will thee bringe
Where thou shall high advanced bee
by Iames our Scottish king.
and this report of thee,
Thou art the most couragious knight
[that ever I did see.]”
“thy profer I doe scorne;
I will not yeelde to any Scott
that euer yett was borne!”
out of an English bow,
Which stroke Erle Douglas on the brest
a deepe and deadlye blow.
“Fight on, my merry men all!
For why, my life is att [an] end,
lord Pearcy sees my fall.”
the dead man by the hand;
Who said, “Erle Dowglas, for thy life,
Wold I had lost my land!
for sorrow for thy sake,
For sure, a more redoubted knight
mischance cold neuer take.”
which saw Erle Douglas dye,
Who streight in hart did vow revenge
vpon the Lord Pearcye.
who, with a spere full bright,
Well mounted on a gallant steed,
ran feircly through the fight,
without all dread or feare,
And through Erle Percyes body then
he thrust his hatfull spere.
his body he did gore,
The staff ran through the other side
a large cloth-yard and more.
whose courage none cold staine;
An English archer then perceiued
the noble erle was slaine.
made of a trusty tree;
An arrow of a cloth-yard long
to the hard head haled hee.
his shaft full right he sett;
The grey-goose-winge that was there-on
in his harts bloode was wett.
till setting of the sun,
For when the rung the euening-bell
the battele scarse was done.
Sir Iohn of Egerton,
Sir Robert Harcliffe and Sir William,
Sir Iames, that bold barron.
both knights of good account,
Good Sir Raphe Rebbye there was slaine,
whose prowesse did surmount.
as one in dolefull dumpes,
For when his leggs were smitten of,
he fought vpon his stumpes.
Sir Hugh Mountgomerye,
And Sir Charles Morrell, that from feelde
one foote wold neuer flee;
his sisters sonne was hee;
Sir David Lambwell, well esteemed,
but saved he cold not bee.
with Douglas he did dye;
Of twenty hundred Scottish speeres,
scarce fifty-fiue did flye.
went home but fifty-three;
The rest in Cheuy Chase were slaine,
vnder the greenwoode tree.
their husbands to bewayle;
They washt their wounds in brinish teares,
but all wold not prevayle.
the bore with them away;
They kist them dead a thousand times
ere the were cladd in clay.
where Scottlands king did rayne,
That braue Erle Douglas soddainlye
was with an arrow slaine.
“Scotland may wittenesse bee
I haue not any captaine more
of such account as hee.”
within as short a space,
That Pearcy of Northumberland
was slaine in Cheuy Chase.
“sith it will noe better bee;
I trust I haue within my realme
fiue hundred as good as hee.
but I will vengeance take,
And be revenged on them all
for braue Erle Percyes sake.”
after on Humble-downe;
In one day fifty knights were slayne,
with lords of great renowne.
did many hundreds dye:
Thus endeth the hunting in Cheuy Chase,
made by the Erle Pearcye.
with plentye, ioy, and peace,
And grant hencforth that foule debate
twixt noble men may ceaze!