The gallant greyhounds swiftly ran, To chase the fallow deer: On Monday they began to hunt, Ere day-light did appear; And long before high noon they had An hundred fat bucks slain; Then having din'd, the drovers went To rouse the deer again. The bow-men mustered on the hills, Well able to endure; Their backsides all, with special care, That day were guarded sure. The hounds ran swiftly through the woods, The nimble deer to take, That with their cries the hills and dales An echo shrill did make. Lord Percy to the quarry went, To view the slaughter'd deer; Quoth he, Earl Douglas promised This day to meet me here: But if I thought he would not come, No longer would I stay. With that, a brave young gentleman Thus to the earl did say: Lo, yonder doth Earl Douglas come, His men in armour bright; Full twenty hundred Scottish spears All marching in our sight; All men of pleasant Teviotdale, Fast by the river Tweed: O cease your sport, Earl Percy said, And take your bows with speed: And now with me, my countrymen, Your courage forth advance; For never was there champion yet In Scotland or in France, That ever did on horseback come, But if my hap it were, I durst encounter man for man, With him to break a spear. Earl Douglas on his milk-white steed, Most like a baron bold, Rode foremost of his company, Whose armour shone like gold. Show me, said he, whose men you be, That hunt so boldly here, That, without my consent, do chase And kill my fallow-deer? The man that first did answer make, Was noble Percy he; Who said, We list not to declare, Nor show whose men we be: Yet will we spend our dearest blood, Thy chiefest harts to slay. Then Douglas swore a solemn oath, And thus in rage did say, Ere thus will I out-braved be, One of us two shall die: I know thee well, an earl thou art, Lord Percy; so am I. But trust me, Percy, pity 'twere, 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 Percy said, By whom this is denied. Then stept 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 stood looking on. You be two earls, said 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.