Chapter LXIV: Part II

The King looked towards litle Durham,
& that hee well beheld,
that the Earle Percy was well armed,
with his battell axe entred the feild.

the King looket againe towards litle Durham,
4 ancyents[15] there see hee;
there were to[16] standards, 6 in a valley,
he cold not see them with his eye.

My Lord of yorke was one of them,
my lord of Carlile was the other;
& my Lord ffluwilliams,
the one came with the other.

the Bishopp of Durham commanded his men,
& shortlye he them bade,
‘that never a man shold goe to the feild to fight
til he had served his god.’

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

the Bishopp of Durham orders himselfe to fight
with his battell axe in hand;
he said, “this day now I will fight
as long as I can stand!”

“& soe will I,” sayd my Lord of Carlile,
“in this faire morning gay;”
“& soe will I,” said my Lord ffluwilliams,
“for Mary, that myld may.”[17]

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

“hold downe your hands,” sayd the Bishopp of Durham,
“my archers good & true.”
the 2ᵈ shoote that thé[18] shott
full sore the Scottes itt rue.

the Bishopp of Durham spoke on hye
that both partyes might heare,
“be of good cheere, my merrymen all,
the Scotts flyen,[19] & changen there cheere!”

but as thé saidden, soe thé didden,
they fell on heapes hye;
our Englishmen laid on with their bowes
as fast as they might dree.

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

The King went to a marsh side
& light beside his steede,
and leaned him down on his sword hilt,
to let his nose bleede.

there followed him a yeoman of merry England,
his name was John of Coplande;
“yeeld thee Traytor!” saies Coplande then,
“thy liffe lyes in my hand.”

“how shold I yeeld me?” sayes the King,
“& thou art noe gentleman.”
“noe, by my troth,” sayes Copland there,
“I am but a poore yeoman;”

“what art thou better then I, Sir King?
tell me if that thou can!
what art thou better then I, Sir King,
now we be but man to man?”

the King smote angerly at Copland then,
angerly in that stonde;
& then Copland was a bold yeoman,
& bore the King to the ground.

he sett the King upon a Palfrey,
himselfe upon a steede,
he tooke him by the bridle rayne,
towards London he can[20] him Lead.

& when to London that he came,
the King from ffrance was new come home.
& there unto the King of Scottes
he sayd these words anon,

“how like you my shepards & my millers,
my priests with shaven crownes?”
“by my fayth, they are the sorest fighting men
that ever I mett on the ground;

“there was never a yeoman in merry England
but he was worth a Scottish knight!”
“I,[21] by my troth,” said King Edward, & laughe,
“for you fought all against the right.”

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

the Prince did present his father with that food,[22]
the lovely King off ffrance,
& fforward of his Iourney he is gone:
god send us all good chance!

“you are welcome, brothers!” sayd the King of Scotts,
to the King of ffrance,
“for I am come hither too soone;
Christ leeve that I had taken my way
unto the court of Roone!”

“& soe wold I,” said the King of ffrance,
“when I came over the streame,
that I had taken my Iourney
unto Ierusalem.”

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

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

but God that made the grasse to growe,
& leaves on greenwoode tree,
now save & keepe our noble King,
& maintaine good yeomanry!

ffinis.]