Page:Hunting of Chevy-chace (1).pdf/2



prosper long our noble King,

Our lives and safeties all,

A woful hunting once there did,

In Chevy-Chace befal,

To drive the deer with hound and horn,

Earl Percy took his way;

The child may rue that is unborn,

The hunting of that day.

The stout Earl of Northumberland,

A vow to God did make,

His pleasure in the Scottish woods,

Three summer days to take;

The choicest harts of Chevy-Chace,

To kill and bear away,

These tidings to the Earl Douglas came,

In Scotland where he lay.

Who sent Lord Percy present word,

He would prevent his sport-

The English Earl not fearing him,

Did to the woods resort.

With twenty hundred bowmen bold,

All chosen men of might;

Who knew full well in time of need,

To aim their shafts aright.

The gallant greyhooods quickly ran,

To chace the fallow deer;

On Monday they began to hunt,

When day-light did appear.

And long before high noon they had

An hundred fat bucks slain;

Then having din'd, the rovers rose

To rouse them ap again.