English and Scottish Ballads, Volume VII

Ballads, English -- England -- Texts; Ballads, Scots -- Scotland -- Texts

Then leaving life, Earl Piercy took
      The dead man by the hand;                                        150
    And said, "Earl Douglas, for thy life
      Would I had lost my land!

    "O Christ! my very heart doth bleed
      With sorrow for thy sake;
    For sure, a more renowned knight                                   155
      Mischance did never take."

    A knight amongst the Scots there was,
      Which saw Earl Douglas dye,
    Who straight in wrath did vow revenge
      Upon the Earl Piercy.                                            160

    Sir Hugh Montgomery was he call'd,
      Who, with a spear most bright,
    Well-mounted on a gallant steed,
      Ran fiercely thro' the fight;

    And pass'd the English archers all,                                165
      Without all dread or fear,
    And through Earl Piercy's body then
      He thrust his hateful spear.

    With such a veh'ment force and might
      He did his body gore,                                            170
    The spear ran through the other side
      A large cloth-yard, and more.

    So thus did both these nobles dye,
      Whose courage none could stain;
    An English archer then perceiv'd                                   175
      The noble earl was slain.

    He had a bow bent in his hand,
      Made of a trusty tree;
    An arrow of a cloth-yard long
      Up to the head drew he.                                          180

    Against Sir Hugh Montgomery
      So right his shaft he set,
    The grey goose-wing that was thereon
      In his heart's blood was wet.

    This fight did last from break of day                              185
      Till setting of the sun;
    For when they rung the evening-bell,[L187]
      The battel scarce was done.

    With the Earl Piercy, there was slain
      Sir John of Ogerton,                                             190
    Sir Robert Ratcliff, and Sir John,
      Sir James, that bold baron.

    And with Sir George and good Sir James,
      Both knights of good account,
    Good Sir Ralph Rabby there was slain,                              195
      Whose prowess did surmount.

    For Witherington needs must I wail,
      As one in doleful dumps;[L198]
    For when his legs were smitten off,
      He fought upon his stumps.                                       200

    And with Earl Douglas, there was slain
      Sir Hugh Montgomery,
    Sir Charles Currel, that from the field
      One foot would never fly.

    Sir Charles Murrel, of Ratcliff, too,                              205
      His sister's son was he;
    Sir David Lamb, so well esteem'd,
      Yet saved could not bee.

    And the Lord Maxwell in like wise
      Did with Earl Douglas dye;                                       210
    Of twenty hundred Scottish spears
      Scarce fifty-five did fly.

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

English and Scottish Ballads, Volume VII

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