CHEVY CHASE BALLAD 1624

8/7/2019 CHEVY CHASE BALLAD 1624

1/5

InformationThis ballad was entered in the Stationers' Register in 1624. The title is alternativelyspelled Chevy Chace. The ballad is generally thought to describe the Battle of Otterburn.Some of the verses correspond to the that battle, but not all. The Battle of Otterburn took place in 1388. At that Battle Henry Percy (Hotspur) was captured, not killed. He was

killed in 1403 in an uprising against Henry IV.According to Child another possibility is the border warfare between a Percy and aDouglas in 1435 or 1436. Henry Percy of Northumberland made a raid into Scotland with4,000 men. He was met by William Douglas, Earl of Angus at Piperden. There were greatlosses on each side, but the Scots prevailed.This ballad is a variant of Child Ballad #162 (The Hunting of the Cheviot).The Hunting of the Cheviot was old and popular as early as the middle of the sixteenthcentury. It appears in The Complaynt of Scotland (1549). On one published copy of theballad Rychard Sheale, who described himself as a minstrel living at Tamworth, claims tohave written the ballad. Child finds his claim "preposterous in the extreme."Versions of the ballad were printed repeatedly on broadsides throughout the seventeenth

and eighteenth centuries. It was said to be the favorite ballad of the common people. Thetune was also used for numerous other ballads.A footnote of interest: Ben Johnson is quoted as saying he would rather have been theauthor of Chevy Chase than all of his works.For a complete list of Child Ballads at this site see Francis J. Child Ballads .Except for the last verse, these lyrics are from Digital Tradition. They are from Songs of Northern England by Stokoe. They include only 33 verses. There are 63 verses in Child'sversion, and One Hundred Songs of England says there are 68. I have added the last versefrom Songs of England (which is the same as Child's except for spelling) to these lyrics.LYRICSGod prosper long our noble king,

Our lives and safeties all!A woeful hunting once there didIn Chevy Chase befall.

To drive the deer with hound and hornEarl Percy took his way;The child may rue that is unbornThe hunting of that day!

The stout Earl of NorthumberlandA vow to God did make,His pleasure in the Scottish woodsThree summer's days to take.

The chiefest harts in Chevy ChaseTo kill and bear away.These tidings to Earl Douglas came,In Scotland where he lay:
http://www.contemplator.com/history/epedia.html#childhttp://www.contemplator.com/history/epedia.html#childhttp://www.contemplator.com/history/broadside.htmlhttp://www.contemplator.com/history/broadside.htmlhttp://www.contemplator.com/child/index.htmlhttp://www.contemplator.com/history/epedia.html#childhttp://www.contemplator.com/history/broadside.htmlhttp://www.contemplator.com/child/index.html


2/5

Who sent Earl Percy present wordHe would prevent his sport.The English Earl, not fearing that,Did to the woods resort,

With fifteen hundred bowmen bold,All chosen men of might,Who knew full well in time of needTo aim their shafts aright.

The gallant greyhounds swiftly ranTo chase the fallow deer:On Monday they began to huntEre daylight did appear;

And long before high noon they had

An hundred fat bucks slain:Then having dined, the drivers wentTo rouse the deer again.

Lord Percy to the quarry wentTo view the slaughter'd deer;Quoth he, Earl Douglas promisedThis day to meet me here;

But if I thought he would not comeNo longer would I stayWith that a brave young gentlemanThus to the Earl did say:

Lo, yonder doth Earl Douglas comeHis men in armour bright -Full twenty hundred Scottish spearsAll marching in our sight.

Show me, said he, whose men you beThat hunt so boldly hereThat, without my consent do chaseAnd kill my fallow deer?

The first man that did answer makeWas noble Percy, heWho said, We list not to declareNor show whose men we be.

Yet we will spend our dearest blood


3/5

Thy chiefest harts to slay.Then Douglas swore a solemn oathAnd thus in rage did say:

Ere thus I will out-braved be

One of us two shall die!I know thee well, An earl thou artLord Percy! so am I.

Our English archers bent their bows,Their hearts were good and true;At the first flight of arrows sentFull fourscore Scots they slew.

At last these two stout Earls did meetLike captains of great might;

Like lions wud they laid on loadAnd made a cruel fight.

They fought, until they both did sweat,With swords of tempered steel,Until the blood, like drops of rain,They trickling down did feel.

O yield thee, Percy! Douglas said,In faith, I will thee bringWhere thou shalt high advanced beBy James our Scottish king;

Thy ransom I will freely give,And this report of thee,Thou art the most courageous knightThat ever I did see.

No, Douglas; quoth Earl Percy then,Thy proffer I do scorn;I will not yield to any ScotThat ever yet was born!

With that there came an arrow keenOut of an English bow,Which struck Earl Douglas to the heart,A deep and deadly blow;

Who never spake more words than theseFight on, my merry men all!


4/5

For why? my life is at an end,Lord Percy sees my fall.

Then leaving life, Earl Percy took The dead man by the hand;

And said, Earl Douglas! For thy lifeWould I had lost my land!

O Christ! my very heart doth bleedWith sorrow for thy sake;For sure a more redoubted knightMischance could never take.

A knight among the Scots there wasWho saw Earl Douglas die;Who straight in wrath did vow revenge

Upon the Lord Percy:Sir Hugh Montgomery was he called,Who, with a spear full bright,Well mounted on a gallant steed,Ran fiercely through the fight;

And past the English archers all,Without all dread or fear,And through Earl Percy's body thenHe thrust his hateful spear.

This fight did last from break of dayTill setting of the sun;For when they rung the evening bellThe battle scarce was done.

And the Lord Maxwell in like caseDid with Earl Douglas die;Of twenty hundred Scottish spearsScarce fifty-five did fly;

Of fifteen hundred EnglishmenWent home but fifty-three;The rest were slain in Chevy ChaseUnder the greenwood tree.

Next day did many widows comeTheir husbands to bewail;They washed their wounds in brinish tears,


5/5

But all would not prevail.

Their bodies bathed in purple goreThey bore with tbem away;They kissed their dead a thousand times

When they were clad in clay.

God save our king, and bless this landWith plenty, joy and peace,And grant henceforth that foule debate'Twixt noblemen may cease!

Documents

CHEVY CHASE BALLAD 1624