6. The gallant greyhounds swiftly ran
To chase the fallow deer;
On Monday they began to hunt
When daylight did appear;
7. And long before high noon they had
A hundred fat bucks slain;
Then, having dined, the drovers went
To rouse the deer again.
8. Lord Percy to the quarry went,
To view the slaughtered deer;
Quoth he, "Earl Douglas promised
This day to meet me here;
9. "But if I thought he would not come—
No longer would I stay";
With that a brave young gentleman
Thus to the earl did say:
10. "Lo, yonder doth Earl Douglas come—
His men in armor bright,
Full twenty hundred Scottish spears
All marching in our sight."
11. Earl Douglas on his milk-white steed,
Most like a baron bold,
Rode foremost of his company,
Whose armor shone like gold.
12. "Show me," said he, "whose men you be,
That hunt so boldly here,
That, without my consent, do chase
And kill my fallow-deer."
13. The first man that did answer make
Was noble Percy he—
Who said: "We list not to declare,
Nor show whose men we be:
14. "Yet will we spend our dearest blood
Thy chiefest harts to slay."
Then Douglas swore a solemn oath,
And thus in rage did say:
15. "Ere thus I will out-bravèd be,
One of us two shall die!
I know thee well, an earl thou art—
Lord Percy, so am I.