"Now God be with him!" said our king, "Sith 'twill no better be, I trust I have within my realm Five hundred as good as he!

"Yet shall not Scots nor Scotland say But I will vengeance take, And be reveng-ed on them all For brave Earl Piercy's sake."

This vow the king did well perform After on Humble Down; In one day fifty knights were slain, With lords of great renown,

And of the rest of small account, Did many hundreds die: Thus ended the hunting in Chevy Chase Made by the Earl Piercy.

God save our king, and bless this land With plenty, joy, and peace, And grant henceforth that foul debate Twixt noble men may cease!

Be it right or wrong, these men among On women do complain; Affirming this, how that it is A labour spent in vain To love them wele; for never a dele They love a man again: For let a man do what he can, Their favour to attain, Yet, if a new to them pursue, Their first true lover than Laboureth for naught; and from her thought He is a banished man.

I say not nay, but that all day It is both writ and said That woman's faith is, as who saith, All utterly decayed; But nevertheless, right good witn-ess In this case might be laid. That they love true, and contin-ue, Record the Nut-brown Maid: Which from her love, when her to prove He came to make his moan, Would not depart; for in her heart She loved but him alone.

Then between us let us discuss What was all the manere Between them two: we will also Tell all the pain in fere That she was in. Now I begin, So that ye me answere: Wher-efore, ye, that present be I pray you give an ear. I am the knight. I come by night, As secret as I can; Saying, "Alas! thus standeth the case, I am a banished man."