PART II.
The King looked towards litle Durham,
& that hee well beheld,
that the Earle Percy was well armed,
with his battell axe entred the feild.
the King looket againe towards litle Durham,
4 ancyents[15] there see hee;
there were to[16] standards, 6 in a valley,
he cold not see them with his eye.
My Lord of yorke was one of them,
my lord of Carlile was the other;
& my Lord ffluwilliams,
the one came with the other.
the Bishopp of Durham commanded his men,
& shortlye he them bade,
‘that never a man shold goe to the feild to fight
til he had served his god.’
500 priests said masse that day
in durham in the feild;
& afterwards, as I hard say,
they bare both speare & sheeld.
the Bishopp of Durham orders himselfe to fight
with his battell axe in hand;
he said, “this day now I will fight
as long as I can stand!”
“& soe will I,” sayd my Lord of Carlile,
“in this faire morning gay;”
“& soe will I,” said my Lord ffluwilliams,
“for Mary, that myld may.”[17]
our English archers bent their bowes
shortlye and anon,
they shott over the Scottish oast
& scantlye toucht a man.
“hold downe your hands,” sayd the Bishopp of Durham,
“my archers good & true.”
the 2ᵈ shoote that thé[18] shott
full sore the Scottes itt rue.