The stout Erle of Northumberland
A vow to God did make,10
His pleasure in the Scottish woods
Three summers days to take;
The cheefest harts in Chevy-Chace
To kill and beare away.
These tydings to Erle Douglas came,15
In Scottland where he lay:
Who sent Erle Percy present word,
He wold prevent his sport.
The English Erle, not fearing that,
Did to the woods resort20
With fifteen hundred bow-men bold;
All chosen men of might,
Who knew full well in time of neede
To ayme their shafts arright.
The gallant greyhounds swiftly ran,25
To chase the fallow deere:
On munday they began to hunt,
Ere day-light did appeare;
And long before high noone they had
An hundred fat buckes slaine;30
Then having dined, the drovyers went
To rouze the deare againe.
The bow-men mustered on the hills,
Well able to endure;
Theire backsides all, with speciall care,35
That day were guarded sure.[898]
The hounds ran swiftly through the woods,
The nimble deere to take,[899]
That with their cryes the hills and dales
An eccho shrill did make.40
Lord Percy to the quarry[900] went,
To view the slaughter'd deere;[901]
Quoth he, Erle Douglas promised
This day to meet me heere:
But if I thought he wold not come,45
Noe longer wold I stay.
With that, a brave younge gentleman
Thus to the Erle did say: