Standard English Poems: Spenser to Tennyson

STANDARD ENGLISH POEMS

PART FIRST

BALLADS

(OF VARIOUS AND UNCERTAIN DATES)

CHEVY CHASE

(Sometimes called The Hunting of the Cheviot)

THE Perse owt off Northombarlonde,
and a vowe to God mayd he
That he wold hunte in the mowntayns
off Chyviat within days thre,

5 In the magger of doughtë Dogles,
and all that ever with him be.

10

The fattiste hartes in all Cheviat

he sayd he wold kyll, and carry them away: 'Be my feth,' sayd the dougheti Doglas agayn, 'I wyll let that hontyng yf that I may.'

Then the Persë owt off Banborowe cam,

with him a myghtee meany,

With fifteen hondrith archares bold off blood and

bone,

the wear chosen owt of shyars thre.

15 This begane on a Monday at morn, in Cheviat the hillys so he;

20

The chylde may rue that ys unborn,
it wos the more pittë.

The dryvars thorowe the woodes went,
for to reas the dear;

Bomen byckarte uppone the bent

with ther browd aros cleare.

Then the wyld thorowe the woodës went,
on every sydë shear;

25 Greahondës thorowe the grevis glent,
for to kyll thear dear.

30

This begane in Chyviat the hyls abone,
yerly on a Monnyn-day;

Be that it drewe to the oware off none,
a hondrith fat hartës ded ther lay.

The blewe a mort uppone the bent,
the semblyde on sydis shear;
To the quyrry then the Persë went,
to se the bryttlynge off the deare.

35 He sayd, 'It was the Duglas promys this day to met me hear;

40

But I wyste he wolde faylle, verament;'
a great oth the Persë swear.

At laste a squyar off Northamberlonde
lokyde at his hand full ny;

He was war a the doughetie Doglas commynge,
with him a myghttë meany,

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