The bow-men mustered on the hills
Well able to endure;
Theire backsides all, with speciall care,
That day were guarded sure.
The hounds ran swiftly through the woods,
The nimble deere to take,[4]
That with their cryes the hills and dales
An eccho shrill did make.
Lord Percy to the quarry went,
To view the slaughter'd deere;
"Quoth he, Erle Douglas promised
This day to meet me heere:
"But if I thought he wold not come,
Noe longer wold I stay."
With that, a brave younge gentleman
Thus to the Erle did say:
"Loe, yonder doth Erle Douglas come,
His men in armour bright;
Full twenty hundred Scottish speres
All marching in our sight;
"All men of pleasant Tivydale,
Fast by the river Tweede."
"O cease your sports," Erle Percy said,
"And take your bowes with speede:
"And now with me, my countrymen,
Your courage forth advance;
For there was never champion yett,
in Scotland nor in France,
"That ever did on horsebacke come,
But if my hap it were,
I durst encounter man for man,
With him to break a spere."
Erle Douglas on his milke-white steede,
Most like a baron bolde,
Rode foremost of his company,
Whose armour shone like gold.
"Show me," sayd hee, "whose men you bee,
That hunt soe boldly heere,
That, without my consent, doe chase
And kill my fallow-deere."
The first man that did answer make
Was noble Percy hee;
Who sayd, "Wee list not to declare,
Nor shew whose men wee bee: