Читать книгу Story-Telling Ballads. Selected and Arranged for Story-Telling and Reading Aloud and for the Boys' and Girls' Own Reading онлайн

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Their speres to shivers went.

They closed full fast on everye side,

Noe slacknes there was found,

But many a gallant gentleman

Lay gasping on the ground.

O Christ! it was great greeve to see

How eche man chose his spere,

And how the blood out of their brests

Did gush like water cleare!

At last these two stout Erles did meet

Like captaines of great might;

Like Lyons wood they layd on lode,

They made a cruell fight.

They fought untill they both did sweat,

With swords of tempered steele,

Till blood a-downe their cheekes like raine

They trickling downe did feele.

“O yeeld thee, Percye!” Douglas sayd,

And infaith I will thee bringe

Where thou shall high advanced bee

By James our Scottish King;

“Thy ransome I will freely give,

And this report of thee,

Thou art the most couragious Knight

That ever I did see.”

“Noe, Douglas!” quoth Erle Percy then,

“Thy profer I doe scorne;

I will not yeelde to any Scott

That ever yett was borne!”

With that there came an arrow keene

Out of an English bow,

Who scorke Erle Douglas on the brest