A Bundle of Ballads. VariousЧитать онлайн книгу.

       Nor show whose men we be;

       "Yet we will spend our dearest blood

       Thy chiefest harts to slay."

       Then Douglas swore a solemn oath,

       And thus in rage did say,

       "Ere thus I will outbrav-ed be,

       One of us two shall die!

       I know thee well! an earl thou art,

       Lord Piercy! so am I.

       "But trust me, Piercy, pity it were,

       And great offence, to kill

       Any of these our guiltless men

       For they have done no ill;

       "Let thou and I the battle try,

       And set our men aside."

       "Accurst be he," Earl Piercy said,

       "By whom it is denied."

       Then stepped a gallant squire forth—

       Witherington was his name—

       Who said, "I would not have it told

       To Henry our king, for shame,

       "That e'er my captain fought on foot,

       And I stand looking on:

       You be two Earls," quoth Witherington,

       "And I a Squire alone.

       "I'll do the best that do I may,

       While I have power to stand!

       While I have power to wield my sword,

       I'll fight with heart and hand!"

       Our English archers bent their bows—

       Their hearts were good and true—

       At the first flight of arrows sent,

       Full fourscore Scots they slew.

       To drive the deer with hound and horn,

       Douglas bade on the bent;

       Two captains moved with mickle might,

       Their spears to shivers went.

       They closed full fast on every side,

       No slackness there was found,

       But many a gallant gentleman

       Lay gasping on the ground.

       O Christ! it was great grief to see

       How each man chose his spear,

       And how the blood out of their breasts

       Did gush like water clear!

       At last these two stout Earls did meet

       Like captains of great might;

       Like lions wood they laid on load,

       They made a cruel fight.

       They fought, until they both did sweat,

       With swords of tempered steel,

       Till blood adown their cheeks like rain

       They trickling down did feel.

       "O yield thee, Piercy!" Douglas said,

       "And in faith I will thee bring

       Where thou shalt high advanc-ed be

       By James our Scottish king;

       "Thy ransom I will freely give,

       And this report of thee,

       Thou art the most courageous knight

       That ever I did see."

       "No, Douglas!" quoth Earl Piercy then,

       "Thy proffer I do scorn;

       I will not yield to any Scot

       That ever yet was born!"

       With that there came an arrow keen

       Out of an English bow,

       Which struck Earl Douglas to the heart

       A deep and deadly blow;

       Who never said more words than these,

       "Fight on; my merry men all!

       For why? my life is at an end,

       Lord Piercy sees my fall."

       Then leaving life, Earl Piercy took

       The dead man by the hand;

       Who said, "Earl Douglas! for thy life

       Would I had lost my land!

       "O Christ! my very heart doth bleed

       For sorrow for thy sake!

       For sure, a more redoubted knight

       Mischance could never take!"

       A knight amongst the Scots there was,

       Which saw Earl Douglas die,

       Who straight in heart did vow revenge

       Upon the Lord Pierc-y;

       Sir Hugh Montgomery he was called,

       Who, with a spear full bright,

       Well mounted on a gallant steed,

       Ran fiercely through the fight,

       And past the English archers all

       Without all dread or fear,

       And through Earl Piercy's body then

       He thrust his hateful spear.

       With such a vehement force and might

       His body he did gore,

       The staff ran through the other side

       A large cloth yard and more.

       So thus did both those nobles die,

       Whose courage none could stain.

       An English archer then perceived

       The noble Earl was slain;

       He had a good bow in his hand

       Made of a trusty tree;

       An arrow of a cloth yard long

       To the hard head hal-ed he,

       Against Sir Hugh Montgomery

       His shaft full right he set;

       The grey goose-wing that was thereon,

       In his heart's blood was wet.

       This fight from break of day did last

       Till setting of the sun;

       For when they rung the evening bell,

       The battle scarce was done.

       With stout Earl Piercy there was slain

       Sir John of Egerton,

       Sir Robert Harcliffe and Sir William,

       Sir James that bold bar-on;

       And with Sir George and Sir James,

       Both knights of good account,

       Good Sir Ralph Raby there was slain,

       Whose prowess did surmount.

       For Witherington needs must I wail

       As one in doleful dumps,

       For when his legs were smitten off,

       He fought upon his stumps.

       And with Earl Douglas there was slain

       Sir Hugh Montgomery,

       And Sir Charles Morrel that from the field

       One foot would never fly;

       Sir Roger Hever of Harcliffe too—

       His sister's son was he—

       Sir David Lambwell, well esteemed,