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



(2) The Hunting of Chevy Chaſe.

GOD proſper long our noble King,

our lives and fateties all,

A woful hunting once there did

in Chevy Chace befal.

To drive the deer with hound and horn,

Earl Piercy took his way,

The child may rue that was

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 Earl Douglas came,

In Scotland where he lay

Who ſent Earl Piercy preſent word,

he would prevent the ſport,

The English Earl not fearing him,

did to the woods reſort,

With twenty hundred bow-men bold.

all choſen men of night,

Who knew full well, in time of need,

to aim their ſhafts aright.

The gailant grey hounds ſwiftly run,

to chace the 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 went

to rooſe them up again.