nd 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 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 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 will I 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 guiltless men,
For they have done no ill.

Let thou and I the battle try,
And set our men aside.
Accurst be he, Earl Percy said,
By whom this 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 four-score Scots they slew.

Yet bides Earl Douglas on the bent[82]
As Chieftain stout and good,
As valiant Captain, all unmov'd
The shock he firmly stood.

His host he parted had in three,
As leader ware and try'd,
And soon his spearmen on their foes
Bore down on every side.

Throughout the English archery
They dealt full many a wound:
But still our valiant Englishmen
All firmly kept their ground:

And throwing straight their bows away,
They grasp'd their swords so bright:
And now shar