"Yield thee, lord Percy!" Douglas cried,
"In faith I will thee bring,
Where thou shalt high advanced be
By James our Scottish king.

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

Thou art the most courageous knight,
That ever I did see.'

'No, Douglas," quoth earl Percy then,
Thy proffer I do scorn:

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 struck 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 sees my fall."

Then leaving life earl Percy took
The dead man by the hand;
And said, "Earl Douglas, for thy sake
Would I had lost my land.

O Christ! my very heart doth bleed
With sorrow for thy sake;
For sure, a more renowned knight
Mischance did never take.'

A knight amongst the Scots there was,
Which saw earl Douglas die,
Who strait in wrath did vow revenge
Upon the lord Percy.

Sir Hugh Montgomery was he call'd,
Who, with a spear most bright,
Well mounted on a gallant steed,
Ran fiercely through the fight.

And past the English archers all,
Without all dread or fear;

And through earl Percy's body then
He thrust his hateful

spear.

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

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

So thus did both these nobles die,

Whose courage none could stain,
An English archer then perceived
The noble earl was slain.

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 Sir Hugh Montgomery
So right the shaft he set,
gray-goose wing that was thereon,
In his heart's blood was wet.

The

This fight did last from break of day,
Till sitting of the sun;

For when they rang the evening bell,
The battle scarce was done.

With brave earl Percy there was slain
Sir John of Egerton,

Sir Robert Ratcliff, and Sir John,

Sir James that bold barón.

And with Sir George and stout Sir James
Both knights of good account,
Good Sir Ralph Raby there was slain,
Whose prowess did surmount.

For Witherington needs must I wail,
As one in doleful dumps :

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

And with earl Douglas there was slain
Sir Hugh Montgomery;

Sir Charles Murray, that from the field
One foot would never flee.

Sir Charles Murray, of Ratcliff, too,
His sister's son was he;

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

And the lord Maxwell in like case
Did with earl Douglas die;
Of twenty hundred Scottish spears,
Scarce fifty-five did fly.

Of fifteen hundred Englishmen
Went home but fifty-three;
The rest were slain in Chevy Chase,
Under the green-wood tree.

Next day did many widows come,
Their husbands to bewail;

They washed their wounds in brinish tears,
But all would not prevail.

Their bodies, bathed in purple gore,
They bare with them away:

They kissed them dead a thousand times,
When they were clad in clay.

This news was brought to Edinburgh,
Where Scotland's king did reign,

That brave earl Douglas suddenly
Was by an arrow slain.

"O heavy news!" king James did say,
"Scotland can witness be,

I have not any captain more,
Of such account as he."

Like tidings to king Henry came,
Within as short a space,

That Percy of Northumberland

Was slain in Chevy Chase.

"Now God be with him!" said our king,
"Since 'twill no better be:

I trust I have, within my realm,
Five hundred as good as he.

Yet shall not Scot nor Scotland say,
But I will vengeance take:

I'll be revengèd on them all,

For brave earl Percy's sake."

This vow full well the king performed
After, at Humdledown:

In one day, fifty knights were slain,
With lords of great renown.

And of the rest, of small account,
Did many thousands die:

Thus endeth the hunting of Chevy Chase,
Made by the earl Percy.

God save the king, and bless this land
In plenty, joy and peace;

And grant henceforth, that foul debate
"Twixt noblemen may cease!

1.

XXV. JOHN LILLY.

SONG OF THE FAIRIES.

Pinch him, pinch him black and blue,

Saucy mortals must not view

What the queen of stars is doing,

Nor pry into our fairy wooing.

1st Fairy. Pinch him blue. 2d Fa. And pinch him

Let him not lack

3rd Fairy.
Sharp nails to pinch him blue and red,
Till sleep has rocked his addle head.

4th Fairy. For the trespass he hath done,
Spots all o'er his flesh shall run.
Kisa Endymion, kiss his eyes,
Then to our midnight heidegyes.

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