One gentle Armstrong I doe ken,
A Scot he is much bound to mee:10
He dwelleth on the border side,
To him I'll goe right privilìe.
Thus did the noble Percy 'plaine,
With a heavy heart and wel-away,
When he with all his gallant men15
On Bramham moor had lost the day.
But when he to the Armstrongs came,
They dealt with him all treacherouslye;
For they did strip that noble earle:
And ever an ill death may they dye.20
False Hector to Earl Murray sent,
To shew him where his guest did hide:
Who sent him to the Lough-levèn,
With William Douglas to abide.
And when he to the Douglas came,25
He halched[943] him right curteouslie:
Say'd, Welcome, welcome, noble earle,
Here thou shalt safelye bide with mee.
When he had in Lough-leven been
Many a month and many a day;30
To the regent[944] the lord warden[945] sent,
That bannisht earle for to betray.
He offered him great store of gold,
And wrote a letter fair to see:
Saying, Good my lord, grant me my boon,35
And yield that banisht man to mee.
Earle Percy at the supper sate
With many a goodly gentleman:
The wylie Douglas then bespake,
And thus to flyte[946] with him began:40
What makes you be so sad, my lord,
And in your mind so sorrowfullyè?
To-morrow a shootinge will bee held
Among the lords of the North countryè.
The butts are sett, the shooting's made,45
And there will be great royaltye:
And I am sworne into my bille,[947]
Thither to bring my lord Percye.