idings 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 that,
Did to the woods resort

With fifteen hundred bowmen bold,
All chosen men of might,
Who knew 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
A hundred fat bucks slain:
Then, having dined, the drovers went
To rouse the deer again.

The hounds ran swiftly through the woods,
The nimble deer to take,
That with their cries the hills and dales
An echo shrill did make.

Lord Percy, to the quarry went,
To view the slaughtered deer,
Quoth he, 'Earl Douglas promised
This day to meet me here:

'But if I 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 pleasant men of Tividale,
Fast by the river Tweed.'
'O, cease your sports!' Earl Percy said,
And take your bows with speed;

'And now with me, my countrymen,
Your courage forth advance;
For there was never champion yet,
In Scotland, nor in France,

'That ever did on horseback come;
And, if my hap it were,
I durst encounter man for man,
With him to break a spear!'

Earl Douglas, on his milk-white steed,
Most like a baron bold,
Rode foremost of his 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 first man that did answer make,
Was noble Percy he,
Who said, 'We list not to declare,
Nor show, whose men we be:

'Yet we will 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 outbraved 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 it were,
And great offence, to kill
Any of these, our guiltless 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 stepped a gallant squire forth,
Witherington was his name,
Who said, 'I would not have it told
To Henry our king, for s