'Lo, yonder doth Erle Douglas come, His men in armour bright; Full twenty hundred Scottish speares All marching in our sight; All men of pleasant Tivydale, Fast by the river Tweede': 'O, cease your sports,' Erle Percy said, 'And take your bowes with speede; And now with me, my countrymen, Your courage forth advance, For there was never champion yet, In Scotland or in France, That ever did on horsebacke come, But if my hap it were, I durst encounter man for man, And with him break a speare.' THE CHALLENGE Erle Douglas on his milke-white steede, Most like a baron bold, Rode foremost of his company, Whose armour shone like gold. 'Show me,' said he, 'whose men ye be, That hunt so boldly here, That, without my consent, do chase And kill my fallow-deere.' The first man that did answer make, Was noble Percy he; Who sayd, 'We list not to declare, Nor shew 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 out-bravËd be, One of us two shall dye: I know thee well, an erle thou art; Lord Percy, so am I. But trust me, Percy, pittye it were, And great offence to kill Any of these our guiltlesse men, For they have done no ill. Let thou and I the battell trye, And set our men aside.' 'Accurst be he,' Erle Percy said, 'By whom this is denied.' Then stept a gallant squier forth, Witherington was his name, Who said, 'I wold not have it told To Henry our king for shame, That ere my captaine fought on foote, And I stood looking on. Ye be two erles,' said Witherington, 'And I a squier alone: Ile do the best that do I may, While I have power to stand: While I have power to wield my sword, Ile fight with heart and hand.' THE BATTLE Our English archers bent their bowes, Their hearts were good and trew, At the first flight of arrowes sent, Full fourscore Scots they slew. Yet bides Erle Douglas on the bent, As Chieftain stout and good. As valiant Captain, all unmoved The shock he firmly stood. His host he parted had in three, As leader ware and try'd, And soon his spearmen on their foes Bare down on every side. Throughout the English archery They dealt full many a wound; But still our valiant Englishmen All firmly kept their ground, And, throwing strait their bowes away, They grasped their swords so bright, And now sharp blows, a heavy shower, On shields and helmets light. They closed full fast on every side, No slackness there was found; And many a gallant gentleman Lay gasping on the ground. O Christ! it was a griefe to see, And likewise for to heare, The cries of men lying in their gore, And scattered here and there!