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Then stepp'd a gallant 'fquire forth,.
Witherington was his name,

Who faid, I would not have it told
To Henry our king, for fhame.

That e'er my captain fought on foot,
And I ftood lookingon,

You be two earls, faid Witherington,
And I a 'fquire alone:

I'll do the beft that do I may,
While I have ftrength to ftand;
While I have pow'r to wield my
I'll fight with heart and hand.

fword,

Our English archers bent their bows,
Their hearts were good and true;

At the first flight of arrows fent,
Full threefcore Scots they flew.

To drive the deer with hound and horn,
Earl Douglas had the bent ;
A captain, mov'd with mickle pride,
The fpears to fhivers fent,

They clos'd full falt on ev'ry fide,
No flacknefs there was found;
And many a gallant gentleman
Lay gafping on the ground,

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O Chrift,

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The cries of men lying in their gorej, dvin H
And scatter'd here and theres qoob &

At laft thefe two ftout earls did meet,
Like captains of great might;
Like lions mov'd, they laid on load,
And made a cruel fight..

They fought until they both did fweat,
With fwords of temper'd feel;
Until the blood, like drops of rain,.
They trickling down did feel.

Yield thee, lord Percy, Douglas faid
In faith I will thee bring
Where thou shalt high advanced be,
By James our Scottish king.

Thy ranfom I will freely give,
And thus report of thee:

Thou art the most courageous knight

That ever I did fee.

No, Douglas, quoth earl Percy, then,

Thy proffer I do fcorn;

I will not yield to any Scot..

That ever yet was born,

With

With that there came an arrow keen
Out of an English bow,

Which ftruck earl Douglas to the heart,
A deep and deadly blow:

Who never fpoke more words than these
Fight on, my merry men all;

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For why my life is at an end..
Lord Percy fees. my fall.

Then leaving life, earl Percy took
The dead man by the hand :

And faid, earl Douglas, for thy life,
land.

Would I had loft my

O Chrift! my very heart doth bleed
With forrow for thy fake;

For fure a more renowned knight,
Mifchance did never take.

A knight among the Scots there was,
Which faw earl Douglas die,

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Who ftraight in wrath did vow revenge
Upon the earl Percy :

Sir Hugh Montgomery was he call'd ;
Who, with a fpear most bright,
Well mounted on a gallant feed,
Ran fiercely through the fight :

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And,

And, pafs'd the English archers all,
Without all dread or fear;⠀
And through earl Percy's body then
He thrust his hateful fpear:

With fuch a vehement force and might
He did his body gore,

The fpear went through the other side
A large cloth yard, and more.

So thus did both thefe nobles die,.
Whose courage none could ftain,
An English archer then perceiv'd
The noble earl was flain ;..

He had a bow bent in his hand.
Made of a trufty tree ;,

An arrow of a cloth-yard long;
Up to the head drew he :

Against fir Hugh Montgomery
So right the fhaft he fet.

The grey-goofe wing that was thereon:

In his heart-blood was wet.

This fight did laft from break of day

Till fetting of the fun;

For when they rung the evening-bell

The battle fcarce was done.

With

With the earl Percy there was flain
Sir John of Ogertonjo bath to
Sir Robert Rateliffe, and fir John,
Sir James that bold baron:

And with fir George, and good fir James,
Both knights of good account,
Good fir Ralph Raby there was flain,
Whofe prowess did furmount.

For Witherington needs muft I wail,
As one in doleful-dumps ;

For when his legs were fmitten off,
He fought upon his stumps.

And with earl Douglas there was flain
Sir Hugh Montgomery ;

Sir Charles Currel, that from the field
One foot would never fly;

Sir Charles Murrel of Ratcliffe too,

His fifter's fon was he;

Sir David Lamb, fo well efteem'd,
Yet faved could not be.

And the lord Maxwell, in like wife,
Did with earl Douglas die :
Of twenty hundred Scottish fpears,
Scarce fifty-five did fly.

Of

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