I'll do the best that do I may,

While I have strength to stand;
While I have pow'r to wield my fword,
I'll fight with heart and hand.

Our English archers bent their bows,
Their hearts were good and true;

At the first flight of arrows fent,
Full threefcore Scots they flew.

To drive the deer with hound and horn,
Earl Douglas had the bent;
A captain mov'd with mickle pride,
The fpears to shivers fent.

They clos'd full faft on every fide,
No flackness there was found ;
And many a gallant gentleman
Lay gafping on the ground.

O Chrift! it was a grief to see,
And likewife for to hear

The cries of men lying in their gore,
And scatter'd here and there.

At laft these two ftout earls did meet,
Like captains of great might;
Like lions mov'd, they laid on load,

And made a cruel fight.

They

They fought until they both did fweat,

With fwords of temper'd steel; Until the blood like drops of rain, They trickling down did feel.

Yield thee, lord Percy, Douglas faid,
In faith I will thee bring

Where thou shalt high advanced be
By James our Scotish king:

Thy ranfom I will freely give,
And thus report of thee,

Thou art the moft courageous knight,
That ever 1 did fee.

No, Douglas, quoth earl Percy then,

Thy proffer I do fcorn;

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 ftruck earl Douglas to the heart,

A deep and deadly blow :

Who never spoke more words than these,

Fight on my merry men all;

For why, my life is at an end,

Lord Percy fees my fall.

Then

Then leaving life, earl Percy took

The dead man by the hand,

And faid, Earl Douglas, for thy life
Would I had loft my land.

O Chrift! my very heart doth bleed,
With forrow for thy fake;
For fure, a more renowned knight
Mischance did never take.

A knight amongst the Scots there was,
Which faw earl Douglas die,
Who straight in wrath did vow revenge
Upon the earl Percy :

Sir Hugh Montgomery was he call'd;
Who, with a fpear most bright,
Well mounted on a gallant fteed,
Ran fiercely through the fight;

And pafs'd the English archers all,
Without all dread or fear;
And through earl Percys body then
He thrult his hateful spear :

With fuch a vehement force and might
He did his body gore,

The spear went through the other fide
A large cloth-yard, and more.

So

So thus did both these nobles die,

Whose courage none could stain : An English archer then perceiv'd The noble earl was flain :

He had a bow bent in his hand,
Made of a trusty tree;
An arrow of a cloth-yard long
Up to the head drew he:

Against fir Hugh Montgomery
So right the fhaft he fet,

The grey-goofe-wing that was thereon
In his heart-blood was wet.

This fight did laft from break of day
Till fetting of the fun;

For when they rung the evening-bell
The battle fcarce was done.

With the earl Percy there was flain
Sir John of Ogerton,

Sir Robert Ratcliffe, and fir John,
Sir James that bold baròn:

And, with fir George, and good fir James,

Both knights of good account, Good fir Ralph Raby there was flain,

Whofe prowess did furmount.

For

For Witherington needs muft I wail,

As one in doleful dumps;

For when his legs were fmitten off,
He fought upon his stumps.

And with earl Douglas there was flain
Sir Hugh Montgomery ;

Sir Charles Currèl, that from the field
One foot would never fly ;

Sir Charles Murrèl of Ratcliffe too,

His fifters fon was he;

Sir David Lamb, so well esteem'd,
Yet faved could not be.

And the lord Maxwell, in like wife,
Did with earl Douglas die :
Of twenty hundred Scotifh fpears,
Scarce fifty five did fly.

Of fifteen hundred Englishmen,
Went home but fifty three:
The reft were flain in Chevy-chase,
Under the green wood tree.

Next day did many widows come,

Their husbands to bewail;

They wash'd their wounds in brinish tears,

But all would not prevail

Their