But, if Fortune once do frown.
Then farewell his great renown
They, that fawned on him before
Use his company no more.
He that is thy friend indeed,
He will help thee in thy need.
If thou sorrow, he will weep,
If thou wake, he cannot sleep:
Thus, of every grief in heart
He with thee doth bear a part:
These are certain signs to know
Faithful friend from flattering foe.

XXIV. ANONYMOUS.

CHEVY CHASE-A BALLAD.

God prosper long our noble king,
Our lives and safeties all;

A woeful hunting once there did
In Chevy Chase befal.

To hunt the deer with hound and horn.
Earl Percy took his way:

The child may rue that is unborn
The hunting of that day.

The stout Earl of Northumberland
A vow to God did make,
His pleasure in the Scottish woods
Three summer days to take:
The chiefest harts in Chevy Chase
To kill and bear away,

These tidings to Earl Douglas came,
In Scotland where he lay;

Who sent earl Percy present word,
He would prevent his sport.
The English earl, not fearing this,
Did to the woods resort.

With fifteen hundred bowmen bold,
All chosen men of might,
Who know full well in time of need
To aim their shafts aright.

The gallant greyhounds swiftly ran,
To chase the fallow deer;
On Monday they began to hunt,
Ere daylight did appear.

And long before high noon they had
An hundred fat bucks slain;
Then having dined, the drovers went
To rouze them up again.

The bow-men mustered on the hills,
Well able to endure ;

Their bodies all, with special care,
That day were guarded sure.

The hounds ran swiftly through the woods,
The nimble deer to take,

And with their cries the hills and dales
An echo shrill did make.

Lord Percy to the quarry went,
To view the slaughterd deer;
Quoth he, "Earl Douglas promised
This day to meet me here.

But, if 1 thought he would not come,
No longer would I stay."
With that a brave young gentleman
Thus to the earl did say :

"Lo yonder doth earl Douglas come,
His men in armour bright;

Full twenty hundred Scottish spears,
All marching in our sight:

All men of pleasant Teviotdale
Fast by the river Tweed."

"Then cease your sport," earì Percy said, "And take your bows with speed.

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 horseback come,
But, if my hap it were,

I durst encounter man for man,
With him to break a spear."

Earl Douglas on a milk-white steed
Most like a baron bold,

Rode foremost of the company,
Whose armour shone like gold.

"Show me," said he, "whose men you be
That hunt so boldly here
That, without my consent, do chase
And kill my fallow-deer."

The man that first did answer make,
Was noble Percy he:

Who said, "We list not to declare
Nor show whose men we be.

Yet will we spend our dearest blood,
Thy chiefest harts to slay
Then Douglas swore a solemn oath,
And thus in rage did say,

"Ere thus I will out-braved be,
One of us two shall die;

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

But trust me, Percy, pity 'twere,
And great offence to kill

Any of these our harmless men,
For they have done no ill.

Let thou and I the battle try,
And set our men aside."
"Accursed be he, "earl Percy said,
By whom it is denied."

Then stept a gallant squire forth,
Witherington was his name,
Who said, "I would not have it told
To Henry our king for shame,
That e'er my captain fought on foot,
And I stood looking on;

You be two earls," said Witherington, "And I a squire alone.

I'll do the best that do I may,

While I have power to stand; While I have power to wield my sword, 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 sent,

Full three-score Scots they slew. They closed full fast on every side; No slackness was there found, And many a gallant gentleman

Lay gasping on the ground.

O Christ, it was a grief to see,
And likewise for to hear,
The cries of men lying in their gore
And scattered here and there.

At last these two stout earls did meet,
Like captains of great might;

Like lions moved, they laid on load,
And made a cruel fight.

They fought until they both did sweat,
With swords of temper'd steel;

Until the blood, like drops of rain,

They trickling down did feel.