English poetry, for use in the schools of the Collegiate institution, Liverpool [ed. by W. J. Conybeare].

• The old spelling has been preserved in this and the following ballads because when once oxplained it will not be any difficulty; and the differences between the ancient and moderu form will afford a useful exercise in orthography.

B

Who sent Erle Percy present word,

He would prevent his sport.
The English Erle, not fearing that,

Did to the woods resort,
With fifteen hundred bow-men bold;

All chosen men of might,
Who knew full well in time of neede

To ayme their shafts aright.
The gallant greyhounds swiftly ran,

To chase the fallow deere :
On Munday they began to hunt,

When day light did appeare;
And long before high noone they had

An hundred fat buckes slaine ;
Then having dined, the drovyers went,

To rouze the deere againe.
The bow-men mustered on the hills,

Well able to endure ;
And all their reare, with speciall care,

That day was guarded sure.
The hounds ran swiftly through the woods,

The nimble deere to take,
That with their cryes the hills and dales

An eccho shrill did make.
Lord Percy to the quarry went,

To view the slaughter'd deere; Quoth he, “ Erle Douglas promised

This day to meet me heere :
“But if I thought he would not come,

No longer wold I stay."
With that, a brave younge gentleman

Thus to the Erle did say:

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English poetry, for use in the schools of the Collegiate institution ...