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, listen, and hold you still; Hearken to me a litle; I shall you tell of the fairest battell Thateuer in England beffell. For as it befell in Edward the Thirds dayes, In England, where he ware the crowne, Then all the cheefe chiualry of England They busked and made them bowne. y chosen all the best archers Thatin England might be found, And all was to fight with the king of Ffrance, Within a litle stounde. And when our king was ouer the water, And on the salt sea gone, Then tydings into Scotland came Thatall England was gone. Bowes and arrowes they were all forth, At home was not left a man But shepards and millers both, And priests with shauen crownes. Then the king of Scotts in a study stood, As he was a man of great might; He sware he wold hold his parlament in leeue London, If he cold ryde there right. Then bespake a squier, of Scottland borne, And sayd, My leege, apace, Before you come to leeue London, Full sore you'le rue that race. Ther beene bold yeomen in merry England, Husbandmen stiffe and strong; Sharpe swords they done weare, Bearen bowes and arrowes longe. The King was angrye at that word; A long sword out he drew, And there befor his royall companye His owne squier hee slew. Hard hansell had the Scottes that day, Thatwrought 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 thee Yorke,' then sayd the King, 'In stead wheras it doth stand; I'le 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 and Darbyshire I giue it thee to thy fee.' Then came in famous Douglas, Saies, What shall my meede bee? And I'le lead the vawward, lord, Thorow the English countrye. 'Take thee Worster,' sayd the King, 'Tuxburye, Killingworth, Burton vpon Trent; Doe thou not say another day But I haue giuen thee lands and rent. 'Sir Richard of Edenborrow, where are yee? A wise man in this warr! I'le giue thee Bristow and the shire The time that wee come there. 'My lord Nevill, where beene yee? You must in this warres bee; I'le giue thee Shrewsburye,' saies the King, 'And Couentrye faire and free. 'My lord of Hambleton, where art thou? Thou art of my kin full nye; I'le giue thee Lincolne and Lincolneshire, And that's enouge for thee.' By then came in William 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 thirty winters and four, And in the Marches betweene England and Scottland I haue beene wounded and beaten sore. For all the good service that I haue done, What shall my meed bee? And I will lead the vanward Thorrow the English countrye. 'Aske on, Douglas,' said the king, 'And granted it shall bee:' 'Why then, I aske litle London,' saies William Douglas, 'Gotten giff that it bee.' The King was wrath, and rose away, Saies, Nay, that cannot bee! For that I will keepe for my cheefe chamber, Gotten if it bee. But take thee North Wales and Weschaster, The cuntrye all round about, And rewarded thou shalt bee, Of that take thou noe doubt. Fiue score knights he made on a day, And dubbd them with his hands; Rewarded them right worthilye With the townes in merry England. And when the fresh knights they were made, To battell the buske them bowne; Iames Douglas went before, And he thought to haue wonnen him shoone. But the were mett in a morning of May With the comminaltye of litle England; But there scaped neuer a man away, Through the might of Christ s hand. But all onely Iames Douglas; In Durham in the feild An arrow stroke him in the thye; Fast flinge[s he] towards the King. The King looked toward litle Durham, Saies, All things is not well! For Iames Dowglas beares an arrow in his thye, The head of it is of steele. 'How now Iames?' then said the King, 'How now, how may this bee? And where beene all thy merrymen That thou tooke hence with thee?' 'But cease, my king,' saies Iames Douglas, 'Aliue is not left a man!' 'Now by my faith,' saies the king of Scottes, 'That gate was euill gone. 'But I'le reuenge thy quarrell well, And of that thou may be faine; For one Scott will beate fiue Englishmen, If the meeten them on the plaine.' 'Now hold your tounge,' saies Iames Douglas, 'For in faith that is not soe; For one English man is worth fiue Scotts, When they meeten together thoe.