Classic Poem

L ORDINGES , listen, & hold yo[u] still;
hearken to me a litle;
I shall you tell of the fairest battell
tha t eu er in England beffell

for as it befell in Edward the 3 dayes,
in England, where he ware the crowne,
then all the cheefe chiualry of England
they busked & made them bowne;

they chosen all the best archers
tha t in England might be found,
and all was to fight w i th the K ing of ffrance
w i thin a litle stounde.

and when our K ing was ou er the water,
and on the salt sea gone,
then tydings into Scotland came
tha t all England was gone;

bowes and arrowes they were all forth,
at home was not left a man
but shepards and Millers both,
& preists w i th shauen crownes.

then the K ing of Scotts in a study stood,
as he was a man of great might;
he sware " he wold hold his Parlam ent in leeue London
if he cold ryde there right."

then bespake a Sq uier of Scottland borne,
& sayd, " my leege, apace,
before you come to leeue London
full sore youle rue tha t race!

" ther beene bold yeomen in merry England,
husbandmen stiffe & strong;
sharpes swords they done weare,
bearen bowes & arrowes longe. "

the K ing was angrye at that word,
a long sword out hee drew,
and there befor his royall companye
his owne squier hee slew.

hard hansell had the Scottes tha t day
tha t wrought them woe enoughe,
for then durst not a Scott speake a word
ffor hanging att a boughe.

" the Earle of Anguish, where art thou?
in my coate armor thou shalt bee,
and thou shalt lead the forward
thorrow the English countrye.

" take thy yorke, " then sayd the K ing ,
" in stead wheras it doth stand;
Ile make thy eldest sonne after thee
heyre of all Northumberland.

" the Earle of Vaughan, where be yee?
in my coate armor thou shalt bee;
the high Peak & darbyshire
I giue it thee to thy fee. "

then came in famous Douglas,
saies, " what shall my meede bee?
& Ile lead the vawward, Lord,
thorow the English countrye. "

" take thee Worster, " sayd the K ing ,
" Tuxburye, Killingworth, Burton vpon trent;
doe thou not say another day
but I haue giuen thee lands and rent.

" S i r Rich ard of Edenborrow, where are yee?
a wise man in this warr!
Ile giue thee Bristow & the shire
the time tha t wee come there.

" my Lo rd Nevill, where beene yee?
you must in this warres bee!
Ile giue thee Shrewsburye, " saies the K ing ,
" and Couentrye faire & free.

" my Lo rd of Hambleton, where art thou?
thou art of my kin full nye;
Ile giue thee lincolne & Lincolneshire,
& tha ts enouge for thee. "

by then came in W illia m Douglas
as breeme as any bore;
he kneeled him downe vpon his knees,
in his hart he sighed sore,

saies, " I haue serued you, my louelye leege,
this 30 winters and 4,
& in the Marches betweene England & Scottland
I haue beene wounded & beaten sore;

" for all the good service tha t I haue done,
what shall my meed bee?
& I will lead the vanward
thorrow the English countrye. "

" aske on, douglas, " said the King,
" & granted it shall bee. "
" why then, I aske litle London, " saies Will iam Douglas,
" gotten giff tha t it bee. "

the K ing was wrath, and rose away,
saies, " nay, tha t cannot bee!
for tha t I will keepe for my cheefe chamber,
gotten if it bee;

" but take thee North wales & weschaster,
the cuntrye all round about,
& rewarded thou shalt bee,
of tha t take thou noe doubt. "

5 score k nigh ts he made on a day,
& dubbd them w i th his hands;
rewarded them right worthilye
w i th the townes in merry England.

& when the fresh k nigh ts they were made,
to battell the buske them bowne;
Iames Douglas went before,
& he thought to haue wonnen him shoone.

but the were mett in a morning of May
w i th the com m inaltye of litle England;
but there scaped neu er a man away
through the might of christes hand,

but all onely Iames Douglas;
in Durham in the ffeild
an arrow stroke him in the thye.
fast flinge[s he] towards the K ing .

the K ing looked toward litle Durham,
saies, " all things is not well!
for Iames Douglas beares an arrow in his thye,
the head of it is of steele.

" how now Iames? " then said the K ing ,
" how now, how may this bee?
& where beene all thy merrymen
That thou tooke hence w i th thee? "

" but cease, my K ing , " saies Iames Douglas,
" aliue is not left a man! "
" now by my faith, " saies the K ing of scottes,
" tha t gate was euill gone;

" but Ile reuenge thy quarrell well,
& of tha t thou may be faine;
for one Scott will beate 5 Englishmen
if the meeten them on the plaine. "

" now hold yo u r tounge, " saies Iames Douglas,
" for in faith tha t is not soe;
for one English man is worth 5 Scotts
when they meeten together thoe;

" for they are as Egar men to fight
as a faulcon vpon a pray.
alas! if eu er the winne the vanward,
there scapes noe man away. "

" O peace thy talking, " said the K ing ,
" they bee but English knaues,
but shepards & Millers both,
& [mass] preists w i th their staues. "

the K ing sent forth one of his heralds of armes
to vew the Englishmen.
" be of good cheere, " the herald said,
" for against one wee bee ten. "

" who leades those Ladds? " said the K ing of Scottes,
" thou herald, tell thou mee "
the herald said, " the Bishopp of Durham
is captaine of tha t companye;

for the Bishopp hath spred the K ing s banner
& to battell he buskes him bowne. "
" I sweare by St. Andrewes bones, " saies the K ing ,
" Ile rapp tha t preist on the crowne! "
[Part II.]

The K ing looked towards litle Durham,
& tha t hee well beheld,
tha t the Earle Percy was well armed,
w i th his battell axe entred the feild

the K ing looket againe towards litle Durham,
4 ancyents there see hee;
there were to standards, 6 in a valley,
he cold not see them w i th his eye.

My Lord of yorke was one of them,
my lord of Carlile was the other;
& my Lord ffluwilliams,
the one came w i th the other

the Bishopp of Durham com m anded his men,
& shortlye he them bade,
" tha t neu er a man shold goe to the feild to fight
till he had serued his god"

500 preists said masse tha t day
in durham in the feild;
& afterwards, as I hard say,
they bare both speare & sheeld.

the Bishopp of Durham orders himselfe to fight
w i th his battell axe in his hand;
he said, " this day now I will fight
as long as I can stand! "

" & soe will I, " sayd my Lo rd of Carlile,
" in this faire morning gay; "
" & soe will I, " said my Lo rd ffluwilliams,
" for Mary, tha t myld may. "

our English archers bent their bowes
shortlye and anon,
they shott ou er the Scottish Oast
& scantlye toucht a man.

" hold downe yo u r hands, " sayd the Bishopp of Durham,
" my archers good & true. "
the 2 shoote tha t the shott,
full sore the Scottes itt rue.

the Bishopp of Durham spoke on hye
tha t both p ar tyes might heare,
" be of good cheere, my merrymen all,
the Scotts flyen, & changen there cheere! "

but as the saidden, soe the didden,
they fell on heapes hye;
our Englishmen laid on w i th their bowes
as fast as they might dree.

The K ing of Scotts in a studye stood
amongst his companye,
an arrow stoke him thorrow the nose
& thorrow his armorye.

the K ing went to a marsh side
& light beside his steede,
he leaned him downe on his sword hilts
to let his nose bleede.

there followed him a yeaman of merry England,
his name was Iohn of Coplande:
" yeeld thee Traytor! " saies Coplande then,
" thy liffe lyes in my hand. "

" how shold I yeeld me? " sayes the K ing ,
" & thou art noe gentleman. "
" noe, by my troth, " sayes Copland there,
" I am but a poore yeaman;

" what art thou better then I, S i r K ing ?
tell me if that thou can!
what art thou better then I, S i r K ing ,
now we be but man to man? "

the K ing smote angerly at Copland then,
angerly in that stonde;
& then Copland was a bold yeaman,
& bore the K ing to the ground.

he sett the K ing upon a Palfrey,
himselfe upon a steede,
he tooke him by the bridle rayne,
towards London he can him Lead

& when to London tha t he came,
the K ing from ffrance was new come home,
& there unto the K ing of Scottes
he sayd these words anon,

" how like you my shepards & my millers,
my priests w i th shaven crownes? "
" by my fayth, they are the sorest fighting men
tha t ever I mett on the ground;

" there was never a yeaman in merry England
but he was worth a Scottish k nigh t! "
" I, by my troth, " said K ing Edward, & laughe,
" for you fought all against the right. "

but now the Prince of merry England
worthilye under his Sheelde
hath taken the K ing of ffrance
at Poytiers in the ffeelde

the Prince did p re sent his father w i th tha t food,
the louely K ing off ffrance,
& fforward of his Iourney he is gone:
god send us all good chance!

" you are welcome, broth er s! " sayd the K ing of Scotts, to th e K ing of ffrance,
" for I am come hither to soone;
Christ leeve tha t I had taken my way
unto the court of Roome! "

" & soe wold I, " said the K ing of ffrance,
" when I came over the streame,
tha t I had taken my Iourney
unto Ierusalem. "

Thus ends the battell of ffaire Durham
in one morning of may,
the battell of Cressey, & th e battle of Potyers,
All within one monthes day.

then was welthe & welfare in mery England,
Solaces, game, & glee,
& every man loved other well,
& the K ing loved good yeomanrye.

but God tha t made the grasse to growe,
& leaves on greenwoode tree,
now save & keepe our noble K ing ,
& maintaine good yeomanry!