With that, there came an arrow keen Out of an English bow,

[heart, Which struck Earl Douglas to the A deep and deadly blow:

Who never spake more words than these:

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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 life
Would I have lost my land.

Ah, me! my very heart doth bleed
With sorrow for thy sake;
For sure a more redoubted knight
Mischance could never take.

A knight among the Scots there was
Which saw Earl Douglas die,
Who straight in wrath did vow revenge
Upon the Lord Percy :

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

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

And through Earl Percy's body then He thrust his hateful spear;

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

The staff ran 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,
The grey goosewing that was thereon
In his heart's blood was wet.

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

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

With stout Earl Percy there was slain
Sir John of Egerton,

Sir Robert Ratcliff, and Sir John,
Sir James that bold Baròn :

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 greenwood 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 kiss'd them dead a thousand times,

Ere they were clad in clay.

The news was brought to Edinburgh, Where Scotland's king did reign, That brave Earl Douglas suddenly Was with an arrow slain:

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'Oheavy news!" King James did say,— Scotland may witness be,

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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.