The morn was clear, the day drew nie, --Yet stiffly in stowre[1077] they stood; Echone hewing another while they might drie, Till aye ran down the blood. LXI The Percy and Montgomery met That either of other was fayn: They swappèd swords, and they two met Till the blood ran down between. LXII ‘Now yield thee, yield thee, Percy,’ he said, ‘Or I vow I’le lay thee low!’ ‘To whom shall I yield?’ said Earl Percy, ‘Now I see it maun be so.’-- LXIII ‘Thou shalt not yield to lord nor loun, Nor yet shalt thou to me; But yield thee to the bracken bush Grows on yon lilye-lee.’-- LXIV ‘I winna yield to a bracken bush, Nor yet I will to a brere[1078]; But I would yield to Earl Douglas, Or Montgomery if he was here.’ LXV As soon as he knew Montgomery, He stuck his sword’s point in ground; The Montgomery was a courteous knight, And quickly took him by the hand. LXVI There was slayne upon the Scottès’ side, For sooth and certaynlye, Sir James a Douglas there was slayne, That day that he cou’d dye. LXVII The Earl of Menteith he was slayne, And gryselye[1079] groan’d on the groun’; Sir Davy Scott, Sir Walter Steward, Sir John of Agerstone. LXVIII Sir Charlès Murray in that place That never a foot would flee; Sir Hew Maxwell, a lord he was, With the Douglas did he dee. LXIX There was slayne upon the Scottès’ side For sooth as I you say, Of four and fifty thousand Scottes Went but eighteen away. LXX There was slayne upon the English side For sooth and certaynlye, A gentle Knight, Sir John Fitzhughe, It was the more pitye. LXXI Sir James Hardbotell there was slayne, For him their heartes were sore; The gentle Lovell there was slayne, That the Percy’s standard bore. LXXII There was slayne upon the English part For sooth as I you say, Of ninè thousand English men Five hundred came away. LXXIII The others slayne were in the field; Christ keep their souls from woe! Seeing there was so fewè friends Against so many a foe. LXXIV Then on the morn they made them bieres Of birch and hazell gray: Many a widow with weeping teares Their makes[1080] they fette[1081] away. LXXV This fray was fought at Otterbourne, Between the night and the day; Earl Douglas was buried at the bracken bush, And the Percy led captive away. LXXVI Now let us all for the Percy pray To Jesu most of might, To bring his soul to the bliss of heaven, For he was a gentle knight. FOOTNOTES: [1036] husbands = husbandmen. [1037] Styrande = stirring, rousing. [1038] brent = burned. [1039] hale = whole. [1040] berne = fighting-man. [1041] bent = coarse grass.