XVI
The first man that him answer made
It was the good Lord Percye:
‘We will not tell thee whose men we are,
Nor whose men that we be;
But we will hunt here in this chase
In the spite of thine and of thee.
XVII
‘The fattest harts in all Cheviot
We have kill’d, to carry away.’—
‘By my troth,’ said the doughty Douglas again,
‘The one of us dies this day.
XVIII
‘[Yet] to kill allè these guiltless men
Alas, it were great pitye!
But, Percy, thou art a lord of land,
I an earl in my countrye—
Let all our men on a party[1097] stand,
And do battle of thee and me!’
XIX
‘Christ’s curse on his crown,’ said the lord Percye,
‘Whosoever thereto says nay!
By my troth, thou doughty Douglas,’ he says,
‘Thou shalt never see that day—
XX
—‘Neither in England, Scotland nor France,
Nor for no man of woman born,
But, that (and fortune be my chance)
I dare meet him, one man for one.’