The hounds ran fwiftly through the woods,

The nimble deere to take *,

And with their cryes the hills and dales

An echo fhrill did make.

Lord Percy to the quarry went,

To view the flaughter'd deere ;
Quoth he, Earl Douglas promised
This day to meete me here :

40

The Chiviot Hills and circumjacent Wafies are at prefent void both of Deer and Woods: but formerly they had enough of both to justify the Defcriptions attempted here and in the Ancient Ballad of CHEVY-CHASE. Leyland, in the reign of Hen. VIII. thus defcribes this County: -" In "Northumberland, as I beare fay, be no Forefts, except Chivet Hills; "where is much BRUSHE-WOOD, and fome OKKE; Grownde ovargrowne with Linge, and fome with Moffe. I have barde fay that "Chivet Hilles ftretchethe xx miles. There is greate Plenté of REDDE"DERE, and Roo BUKKES." Itin. vol. 7. pag. 56.- -This paffage, which did not occur when pag. 22. 24. avere printed off, confirm the accounts there given of the STAGGE and the RoË.

All men of pleasant Tivydale,

Faft by the river Tweede :

Then cease your fport, Earl Percy faid,
And take your bowes with speede:

55

And now with me, my countrymen,
Your courage forth advance;
For never was there champion yet,

In Scotland or in France,

That ever did on horfebacke come,

But if my hap it were,

I durft encounter man for man,

With him to break a speare.

Earl Douglas on a milke-white steede,

Moft like a baron bold,

Rode foremost of his company,

Whose armour shone like gold:

Show me, fayd he, whose men you bee,
That hunt foe boldly heere,

That, without my confent, doe chafe

And kill

my

fallow-deere?

The man that first did answer make,]

60

65

70

Was noble Percy hee;

VOL. L

Who fayd, We lift not to declare,
Nor fhew whofe men wee bee:
S

75

Yet

Yet will wee spend our deereft blood,
Thy cheefeft harts to flay.

Then Douglas fwore a folemne oathe,
And thus in rage did fay,

Ere thus I will out-braved bee,

One of us two shall dye:

I know thee well, an earl thou art;
Lord Percy, fo am I.

But trust me, Percy, pittye it were,

85

Let thou and I the battell trye,

And fet our men afide.

Accurs'd bee hee, Lord Percy fayd,

By whome this is denyed.

до

Then flept a gallant squire forth,

Witherington was his name,

Who faid, I wold not have it told
To Henry our king for fhame,

95

That e'er my captaine fought on foote,
And I flood looking on.

You bee two earls, fayd Witherington,
And I a fquire alone:

While I have pow'r to weeld my sword,
Ile fight with heart and hand.

Their hearts were good and trew ;

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

[Yet bides Earl Douglas on the bent,
As Chieftain ftout and good.
As valiant Captain, all unmov'd
The fhock he firmly stood.

His hoft he parted had in three,
As Leader ware and try'd,

And foon his fpearmen on their foès

Bare down on every fide.

S 2

The 4 ftanzas bere inclosed in Brackets, which are borrowed chiefly from the ancient Copy, are offered to the Reader inftead of the following unmeaning lines, which are thofe of the Author, viz.

To drive the deere with hound and horne,

Earl Douglas had the bent;

Two captaines mov'd with mickle pride,

Their fpeares to fhivers went,

Throughout the English archery
They dealt full many a wound:
But ftill our valiant Englishmen

All firmly kept their ground:

And throwing ftrait their bows away,
They grafp'd their fwords fo bright:
And now sharp blows, a heavy shower,
On fhields and helmets light.]

120

Like lyons wood, they layd on load,
And made a cruell fight:

135

They fought untill they both did fweat,
With fwords of temper'd fteele ;
Until the blood, like drops of rain,

They trickling down did feele.

140

Yeeld